District and State Honor Band
District Band is an audition honor band hosted by Kansas Music Educators Association. Our district includes all of the 6A schools in the Northeast corner of the State from Topeka to Kansas City. We host the auditions at Olathe East and there are over 1,000 students that audition just for band. The etudes are released by KMEA at the end of the school year and then the auditions are held in November of the following school year. Students prepare an etude and scales on their own oustide of class, usually with the help of a private teacher. The audition is a blind audition, where the judges cannot see the students auditioning. The students perform the etude and scales in addition to sight reading. Students who are selected and perform at District Band are then eligible to audition for the Kansas All-State Band. The music and process for State is the same as District. The auditions are in early January (sometimes before we are back from winter break) and are held at Salina Central High School. We bus the students down the Friday night before the auditions and stay in a hotel. The auditions usually last until late afternoon and then we bus back home.
2020 District Band Results:
Gold Band
Caleb Hernandez, Clarinet
Josh Laughlin, Alto Sax
Colvin Hoskins, Tenor Sax
Billy Sharp, Trombone
Caden Miller, Euphonium
Red Band
Dylan Slocombe, Tenor Sax
Cameron Castaldi, Trumpet
Audrey Henkel, Mallets
Jessie Fish, Snare
Blue Band
Jack McGregor, Piccolo
Anna Billam, Oboe
Jeremiah Valenzuela, Clarinet
Claire Heigele, Clarinet
Sydney Watson, Clarinet
Jordan Culton, Bass Clarinet
Scott Boyack, Baritone Sax
Avery Prather, Trumpet
Joseph Bledsoe, Euphonium
Sam Eaton, Snare
Jazz Band
Ben Lodge, Alto Sax
2019 Results:
GOLD
Maggie Clegg - Flute
Ethan Wootton - Mallets
RED
Courtney Crews - Flute
Sofia Valdez - Bassoon
Laurel Carder - Clarinet
BLUE
Jeremiah Valenzuela - Clarinet
Caleb Hernandez - Clarinet
Ximena Leon - Clarinet
Josh Laughlin - Alto Saxophone
Aaron Bethel - Trumpet
Liam Courson - Horn
Luke Horsch - Trombone
Jackson Hunter - Euphonium
Braden Black - Timpani
Sam Hoyer - Mallets
Jessie Fish - Snare
High School Band Alternates
Alt. 2 - Sydney Watson - Clarinet
Alt. 2 - Dylan Slocomb - Tenor Saxophone
Alt. 5 - Jacob Barbara - Trumpet
Jazz Band
Alt. - Devan Griffin - Bari Sax
2018 Results:
A big Congratulations to members of the Olathe East Band program that made the East Central District Honor Band! We had a record number of students selected this year with 25 students selected as either a member of the group or as an alternate. This is the culmination of months of hard work and we couldn't be happier for all of them! They will perform on December 1st at the District Band Festival hosted at Blue Valley High School.
Congratulations goes out to:
Courtney Crews—Piccolo alternate
Anna McGregor—Oboe
Jordan Flemming—Clarinet
Anna Carr—Clarinet
Ximena Leon—Clarinet
Jeremiah Valenzuela—Clarinet
Caleb Hernandez—Clarinet
Laurel Carder—Clarinet alternate
Bryan Kwon—Bassoon
Sophia Valdez— Bassoon
Emma Plank—Bass Clarinet
Josh Laughlin—Alto Sax
Aaron Bethel—Trumpet
Jacob Barbara—Trumpet alternate
Kristin Gjovig—French Horn
Luke Horsch—Trombone
Adam Kahnk— Tuba
Chayse Stegman—Mallets
Ethan Wootton—Snare
Braden Black—Snare
Sam Jerguson—Snare
Audrey Henkel—Mallets
Evan Kappelman—Tenor Sax, Jazz Band
Nolan Ralph—Trombone, Jazz Band
Nathan Byard—Piano alternate, Jazz Band