Centralia Hosts All Conference Band

By: Besan Juma, Contributing Writer

Front row L to R: Bre Crockett, Brooke Whitlatch, Susanna Nix, Elle Elliott, Lealia Whisler Back row L to R: Mac Dollens, Wendi Hargis, Tyler Taylor, Lane Chancellor, not pictured- Levi Strain

Centralia High School (CHS) band students are preparing for the All Conference Band performance that will be hosted by CHS Band Director, Mrs. Kim Neighbors. 

Saturday, February 4th, CHS All Conference Band will have a one day rehearsal and concert in Centralia at 5pm. Wednesday, February 8th, they have a concert tour at three of the conference schools. This year's concert tour locations are Monroe City, South Shelby and Macon. 

This year's CHS All Conference Band members consist of ten students in grades 9-12. 
The All conference Band members are:  Lane Chancellor, Bre Crockett, Mac Dollens, Elle Elliott, Wendi Hargis, Susanna Nix, Levi Strain, Tylor Taylor, Lealia Whisler and Brooke Whitlatch. 

The audition process to make All Conference Band consists of three parts. “When you enter the room you are asked to play two major scales. After that you play a specific piece that was selected. Then, the last thing you do is sight read a piece. Sight reading is trying to play a piece that you have not seen before,” explains freshman Lane Chancellor.


The process of making All Conference Band is challenging enough, but becomes even more challenging considering students only get one day to prepare. When asked how the students prepare, Neighbors said, "They spend most of the day on Saturday rehearsing and preparing for the concert.  We have fun getting to know the other students from other schools, and we also enjoy going somewhere fun for lunch. Then Saturday evening we perform a concert.  On the following Wednesday, we travel to the three schools and perform our concert for each school."


After the All Conference performance, all CHS band students have an opportunity to compete at Contest which takes place in March. Contest is the last event of the school year for students to compete in.  Contest is when students compete for a solo, trio and ensemble. When asked about what the contest band looks like, Chancellor describes it as, "Two types of contestes. First contest is when we play together as a band. The second contest is doing another sight read."