Every year, a select few dedicated band students receive the chance to play for the All State Band. Each year, there are two to

three students with this honor. This year, FHN had seven students make All State Band, more than any other district in Missouri.

“I was relieved more than anything,” senior Erin Rhomberg said. “I had been working towards this goal for so long, and I felt like all of my hard work had finally paid off.”

This year, auditions were scheduled to take place at Columbia Hickman High School Saturday December 7th, but due to bad weather, auditions has to be rescheduled twice. After more bad weather prohibited them from being able to make the rescheduled times, each member was to record themselves playing and have it sent to the judges online. Saturday December 21, band members made their way up to school to record themselves, a very different change from the usual audition in front of judges.

“I did not like having to send in my audition tape,” senior Micheal Lindsey said. “I felt I had a better shot at making it if I had gone to Hickman for the audition. I just thought some people would slave over their audition tapes and make them perfect, I knew mine would never get to a level I wanted it to be.”

Out of the 15 students who auditioned for State Band, seven students made it, these students include: seniors Mike Lindsey, Erin Rhomberg, Deanna Hyde, Matt Schneider, Simon Hart, and Sam Oelklaus also junior Brandan Vestle.

“The most rewarding part of having my students participate in this, is the goals they are able to accomplish by doing so,” director Jeff Moorman said. “They all set goals for themselves and it rewarding to watch them accomplish the goals for themselves, and for the band program.”