Going to states is not an honor reserved only for athletes.
Four WS students were selected to participate in the All-Virginia Band event in Richmond on April 5-7. The performances were held to showcase the top high school musicians in the state.
The auditions for the prestigious honor consisted of multiple stages of assessments. Students had to demonstrate skill in playing scales, sight reading, and performing a piece for the judges.
“In the warm up room, I was there with 50 other flute students waiting to audition,” said senior Kate Herrema. “It was intimidating because at that level, everyone’s super talented.”
In the end, Herrema was selected to play at the event, along with fellow WS students Abbigale Baker, Thomas Heal, and Amanda Welch. They were notified at the end of February that they would get the chance to perform at the All-Virginia Band concert in early April.
“I was kind of surprised when I found out that I’d made it because everyone there seemed so gifted,” said Herrema. “It felt good to know that I was at the same level as those people and I was so excited.”
Rehearsals for the performance began just two days before the event. Because of this, the musicians have had very little time to practice together as a unit.
“We had about six hours of rehearsal [on April 5th] and another six hours the next day,” said senior Thomas Heal, who plays the clarinet. “It [was] fairly intense working up the music for the concert.”
The event itself was a three-day event that consisted of multiple concerts and long practices.  There were many opportunities for the students to watch other groups and ensembles perform, such as the orchestra and choirs.
“On Thursday, we watched the Richmond Symphony perform, and we watched the VCU small jazz ensemble perform in the convention center on Friday,” said Herrema.
The chance to partake in the concert left a lasting impact on those involved because the participants were able to practice with professional conductors and other talented student musicians.
“The work ethic and talent [of the musicians] was truly inspiring,” said junior Amanda Welch, who plays the piccolo. “Throughout rehearsal there was a great sense of trust between all the sections that they would play their parts correctly.”
All of those who participated were also able to reaffirm the reasons why they love playing their instruments so much, after being immersed in the music-focused environment.
“From this weekend, I was reminded of the unique ways music touches people, said Welch. “I was inspired by the people around me to strive for excellence in all my playing, but to also realize the emotion behind a piece.”