Since the summer, around half of the band students have been preparing music for All-Region tryouts with the hopes of making it to the All-State level. On Jan. 12, eight of those students qualified for All-State after placing in the top two or three at All-Area tryouts. They will travel to San Antonio in February and try out once again to be placed in one of the All-State bands.

Each instrument group is assigned three pieces in July which they first played for judges at All-Region tryouts in December. Some instrument groups held clinics with other schools to learn the notes and rhythms of the pieces. The All-Region auditions are only against other schools in region 20. Around 50 students from HP made an All-Region band, but around 20 of those students qualified for All-Area in January and played the same three pieces at those tryouts.

“[I prepared the most] for area auditions for state,” junior All-Stater Zack Shawver said. “The people there are a lot better so your performance level has to be a lot higher.”

The All-Area tryouts consist of students from different regions that are all in the Dallas area. At All-Area tryouts, eight HP students qualified for All-State and will later be placed in a band with new music.

“There’s a lot of excerpts online that I’m going to print and go over with our director Mr. Brumley,” junior All-Stater Ava Sims said. “I’ll spend lunch time practicing and as much time as I can at home.”

Some students qualified for All-State for the second or third year in a row. Senior Charlie Connor, euphonium-player, and senior Madison Triplett, bassoon-player, have qualified for All-State three years in a row. Senior Nathan Denman has qualified on the E-flat clarinet for two years in a row.

Many of the All-State qualifiers made it for the first time. These students include seniors Jinghan Yuan, saxophone-player, and Kristina Richter, contra bass-clarinet player, juniors Sims, flute-player, and Shawver, percussionist, and freshman Brandon Luk, trumpet-player. . Not only did these eight students tie the record for most amount of HP students to ever qualify, but Shawver set a record himself by being the first HP percussionist to ever qualify for All-State.

“It’s definitely exciting and I’m honored to be that person” Shawver said when discussing his accomplishment.

These students will head to San Antonio to be placed in one of the All-State bands, attend a three-day clinic and perform with their new band on February 16.