On November 21, several students of the Okawville High School band were selected to participate in this year’s annual Prairie Honor Band Festival. The students went through a full day’s rehearsals among other students from various schools such as Wesclin, Lebanon, Carlyle, and New Athens. They worked all day to prepare a concert for that night, a truly trying and rewarding experience for all of the students and directors involved. The band was directed by Dr. Christopher Morehouse, who is also the director at SIUC for their concert band. The students that participated were Alexis Jarden, Eva Tooley, Calvin Maynard, Nora Wood, Sophia Wood, Sarah Cook, Julianne Helbig, Laurie Mueth, John Schaller, Ryan Schwab, Nolan Frantz, and Laura Cook. They each were selected for different parts in the band in their different sections.
The band performed a variety of pieces including Advance March, The Cave You Fear, Letters From Sato, and four movements of the Simple Gifts collection. Each piece was uniquely different both in style and what section was highlighted, whether trombones or flutes. Every section also participated in a master class directed by different directors from the schools that participated in the festival, to help them further advance their progress in pieces with someone who specialized in their section.
To say that the concert was a success would be an understatement, the band performed beautifully to the crowd with both resonance and chaos depending on the piece. We hope to see even more students participate and continue to partake in next year’s festivities. Congratulations to all of the students who were selected!