Summerlin-area students chosen for county honor band

By Frances Vanderploeg

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008 | 7:34 p.m.

Band students attending many Summerlin-area high schools recently found out they have something to celebrate: Several were specially chosen to perform with the Clark County School District honor band Jan. 24.

The honor band, made up of about 240 students from around the district, is actually three bands: a wind band and two symphonic bands. Each will perform with directors brought in from around the country for a one-time performance. Students were chosen from a group of 714 who auditioned.

Students chosen for the district’s honor band are then allowed to audition for the all-state band, which is made up of honor band’s most elite students.

Schools with at least one student participating include Bonanza, Centennial and Palo Verde high schools.

No Cimarron-Memorial High School students made it, but that happens, Rick McEnaney, coordinator of the secondary fine arts for the School District, said. Curtis Melton took over at Cimarron this year, and sometimes after taking over a program, new directors like to take a year off from pushing honor band, McEnaney said.

Additionally, students aren’t required to audition for honor band. Those who do generally understand just how big of a deal it is, though.

“The honor band is called that for a reason,” Mark McArthur, Basic High School band director, said. “It’s a prestigious thing, because you get to be in a band that’s being directed by a fantastic director from around the country.”

Directors of the three bands this year include Dick Mayne, associate director of bands at the University of Northern Colorado; Gregg Brimm, band director at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Ill.; and McEnaney.

“One of the benefits of the honor band is that they experience being in an ensemble that’s the best of the best,” Paul Rich, Liberty High School’s director of bands, said.

Directors are generally scheduled two or three years in advance, McEnaney said, and are chosen by the local directors.

“We try to bring the very best folks that we can,” he said.

McEnaney has directed the honor band in previous years, when he taught at the university level, he said. Honor band is partially used to help students earn college scholarships, so bringing in band directors from universities makes sense, he said.

Most of the work is done by students on their own time after marching band season ends. They meet as a group only twice: once for a music check and rehearsal Jan. 6 to ensure the students are learning their music, and again for an all-day rehearsal Jan. 23.

Fewer rehearsals are more true-to-life, McEnaney said. Professional musicians only rehearse together a couple times before performing.

“We want them to learn what it’s like to be a professional working musician,” he said. “It’s not completely the same schedule, but it gives everyone a taste.”

Auditioning is not required by most band directors, though they do encourage it.

“I’m a big proponent of doing honor groups or extra things,” Danielle McCracken, band director at Coronado, said. “It’s going to make them better, which is then going to make our band better. Plus, they get to hang out with kids from other schools and other programs.”

Frances Vanderploeg can be reached at 990-2660 or [email protected].