FHN Bands Prepare for Upcoming Competition at Holt

Senior+Quinn+Winkeler+warms+up+on+his+tuba+during+honors+wind+ensemble+practice.+Winkeler+spends+his+fifth+hour+practicing+in+the+band+room+for+their+upcoming+concerts+and+competitions.+He+has+been+playing+the+tuba+since+seventh+grade+and+in+sixth+grade+he+played+the+baritone.+

Credit to Salam Abouchleih

Senior Quinn Winkeler warms up on his tuba during honors wind ensemble practice. Winkeler spends his fifth hour practicing in the band room for their upcoming concerts and competitions. He has been playing the tuba since seventh grade and in sixth grade he played the baritone.

By Liv Engle, North Star Reporter

During and after school, all the different types of FHN bands practice hard for upcoming competitions. Not only is wind ensemble going to their first big competition of the year, concert band is going along too. Band has been practicing diligently for these events.

This big upcoming competition that both bands will be going to is their State Contest, which will be held at Holt High School on March 5. Being prepared for this competition comes with a lot of stress but also is very exhilarating for the performers. Preparation is  important for band members and can teach better skills for being on top of important things, like practicing.

“At a competition we play our pieces and we have a second score that comes from sight reading, so to prepare we do individual practices during class and we work on sight reading,” sophomore Aidyn Gleason said.

Sight reading is when performers receive a piece of music and get about two minutes to look over it and play the music with little practice involved. Although preparation can be challenging, it is a great experience and also helps band improve in many areas for their future competitions and events.

“We prepare mainly in class where Stegeman tunes the fine details and then at home we practice larger concepts,” senior Andrew Reese said. “We generally take the notes we get either during class or from judges and those become our main focus to improve for our next season.”