On January 30 and 31 auditions were held at Golden Valley High School for the William S. Hart District Honor Band. Placerita Junior High School was recognized for placing the most students in the Hart Junior High School Honor Band. This marks the 21st consecutive year, since 1988 that Placerita has placed the most students in the Honor band. This year, 26 students will represent Placerita. In addition, Chris Honeyman, an eighth-grade Placerita musician earned the highest score in the audition process. Chris received a score of 175.5 out of 180.
The Hart District Honor Band program, now in its 28th year, is designed to provide a challenging, exciting concert band experience for the many outstanding musicians in junior and senior high school bands.
The Honor Band Concert provides an opportunity for the most accomplished instrumental music students in our district to join together under the direction of prominent guest conductors.
In the Junior High Division, all students who are enrolled in the Advanced Band programs throughout the district are required to audition. This includes musicians from Arroyo Seco, Sierra Vista, La Mesa, Rio Norte, Rancho Pico, Placerita Junior High Schools and Castaic Middle School. The best in the district are selected from challenging audition requirements. Music director for Placerita Junior High, Ms. Kathryn Spula said, “Success is achieved through hard work, dedication, and commitment to practice. The main ingredients to prepare my students for the audition include discipline, motivation to practice, building confidence as students learn challenging audition repertoire, and always setting standards high in developing musical excellence.”
The 28th Annual William S. District Honor Band Concerts were held on Saturday, March 7. Approximately 150 Hart District music students participated in the extraordinary evening of music.
This year, Mr. Dan Bochard conducted the Junior High Honor Band. Mr. Bochard is a former music teacher, now an active professional trombonist. Mr. Bochard has made previous appearances with the Hart District Honor Band and has been a favorite with students and audiences alike. Dr. Gary Gilroy, Director of Bands at California State University, Fresno, will conduct our High School Honor Band. In addition to his duties at CSU, he is active as a guest conductor and clinician throughout Southern California. The Honor Band Concerts were an exciting event for anyone who attended.