December not only brings holiday cheer, it also brings auditions for All-State Band. This year, however, according to Lincoln High School Band Director Fred Channell, auditions for this year’s students will be held differently due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Auditions are usually held in person. This year, auditions will be held virtually.

     “Unfortunately, due to the Corona virus, auditions will be held virtually over Zoom on December 4th and 5th (2020),” said Channell.

     This year five students will be auditioning for All-State Band. Those students include senior Ian McIntyre, senior Wayne Baker, junior Rylee Barnard, junior Braden Hamrick, and sophomore Mikalah Williams.

     “The students will be auditioning against the best students from all over the state,” said Channell. “The West Virginia All-State Band is limited to a balanced band.”

     Leading off the list of students auditioning is McIntyre. As a sophomore, McIntyre made WV All-State Orchestra and as a junior, placed very high in the trombone section of the WV All-State Band.

     “As a senior, we are hoping and preparing for first chair in the WV All-State Band,” said Channell. “This will help him on his path to a degree in music and medicine.”

     There are several students who will be auditioning for the first time in their high school band career: Baker, a tubist; Barnard, a percussionist; Hamrick, a percussionist; and Williams, a trumpeter.

     “Baker is hoping to make the tuba section, which as a senior, will help him in pursuing his desire to be a Music Education major at West Virginia University,” said Channell. “Hamrick is also hoping this will launch his career in Music Therapy.”

 

     

 

     According to the organization’s establishment information, the All State Orchestra, Band and Chorus Association was organized in Charleston on Nov. 7, 1930, to sponsor and promote the three groups. This association as endorsed by the State Education Association Music Section when they first met at the First Methodist Church in Charleston on Nov. 14, 1930. On year later, however, the music section voted to dispense with the association and replace it by a board of director consisting of five members.

     While an all-state band was included in these discussions, it was not organized at this time. On Nov. 5, 1937, Dr. Frank Cuthbert, Dean of the School of Music at West Virginia University, expressed the desire to have an all-state band represented at state music meetings. Thus the present WVMEA All State Band is the youngest of the three high school all-state groups.