The Northwestern Oklahoma State University band will play host to between 800 and 1,000 middle and high school students from the northwest and central regions of Oklahoma on the Alva campus March 3 for the District 2 concert band and solo/ensemble contest.
The contest is scheduled to last all day beginning at 8 a.m. until approximately 5 p.m. and will be held simultaneously in the Herod Hall Auditorium for the concert bands and in Ryerson Hall for the solos and ensembles. This contest allows students to perform their musical pieces in front of judges to determine if the musician or band may move on to the state level competition.
Currently, 200 students are registered to play in the individual solo and ensemble portion with approximately 600 registered to play with their concert bands.
Fifteen high schools and middle schools currently are registered with students to perform including Alva, Blackwell, Chisholm, Hennessey, Kremlin-Hillsdale, Laverne, Medford, Ringwood, Okeene, Oklahoma Bible Academy, Pioneer-Pleasant Vale, Pond Creek-Hunter, Waukomis, Watonga and Woodward.
As one might imagine, hosting such a large crowd with a schedule may take a lot of work, but Seth Cudd, instructor of music and director of bands, said students in the University bands come together to host the event so there may be enough students on staff to help with the performing students, keep track of scoring and help the contest run smoothly.
Cudd said the contest has been held each year at Northwestern for a significant number of years, although this will be only his second year organizing it. The event is free and open to students and any members of the public who may be interested in listening to a variety of music performed by young musicians.
A schedule of times the concert bands will perform in the auditorium follows:
8:20 a.m. Pride of Medford Band
8:40 a.m. Ringwood High School
9 a.m. Kremlin-Hillsdale High School
9:20 a.m. Okeene 7-12 Band
9:40 a.m. Pond Creek-Hunter Band
9:55-10 a.m. Break
10:05 a.m. Laverne High School
10:25 a.m. Waukomis 7-12 Band
10:45 a.m. Woodward 7th Grade Band
11:05 a.m. Oklahoma Bible Academy Concert Band
11:25 p.m. Blackwell High School Band
Noon-1 p.m. Lunch
1 p.m. Pioneer-Pleasant Vale High School
1:20 p.m. Woodward 8th Grade Band
1:40 p.m. Pride of Hennessey
2 p.m. The Alva Band of Gold
2:20 p.m. Watonga High School Band
2:40 p.m. Woodward High School Band
3 p.m. Chisholm Middle School Band
3:20 p.m. End
For more information about the contest or the music programs at Northwestern, contact Cudd at mscudd@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8191.
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