A few select members of the prestigious Abilene High School band took on district band on Saturday December 1st in Manhattan. The members that went were:  Jade Vopat, Rebecca Gale, Thomas Rosebook, and Alyssa Harwood.

On Saturday, they got there early in the morning, then they went to rehearse with a college professor for about three hours. There are four different groups that perform all at different times. “It’s really fun. You get to meet a lot of new people and the clinicians are different every year so its fun to see a different directing and teaching style,” said Jade Vopat a junior clarinet member who performed on Saturday.  The band is known for being extremely successful as they send several kids to the district band every year. Tryouts are not easy. The students get their music a month prior to tryouts, and they have to have it ready to go and perfected by tryouts.

Elizabeth Collins, Abigail Elliott, Jendaya Leder, Braydon Surritte, Claire Weishaar, Jackson Welsh, and Dakotah Whitley all went to Manhattan for the event in the choir. In the morning, the whole choir practiced together. Later in the day, they performed a concert, singing four songs. “It was an amazing experience, and I would love to do it again,” says Erika Lynn, a sophomore member of the Abilene choir. This weekend, Abilene’s talented students didn’t just get to show off there amazing skills at a tremendously high level. They also represented Abilene in a stupendous manner.

The Abilene band performed their annual winter concert on December 16th, 2018.  The choir will be performing their winter concert today, December 17th, at the auditorium.