by Alexis Miller
The LHS band has been widely renowned as one of the finest in their field, not only in South Dakota but also in the Midwest. Throughout the years, the band has had their share of success. Recently, they were able to achieve a high stature at the South Dakota All-State Band. In the Spring of 2019, the LHS band secured a state record. 47 of their students were accepted into All-State Band, a number that has not been reached by any school in over 70 years. “To put things into perspective, the closest school to beating our record only sent 16 students last year,” said LHS assistant band director, Sam Anderson. Remarkably, the LHS band has been able to maintain this streak for 22 consecutive years. They have sent a similar amount of students each year and the directors strive to continue this trend in the future. This time around, LHS instrumentalists will make up 25% of the All-State band; the program accepts 172 students annually, 44 of whom will come from LHS. Band members as a whole claim to owe this achievement to the staff and directors. “Our music faculty motivates students to perform and audition to the best of their ability,” said LHS junior and trumpet player Zac Carlson. Both students and directors acknowledge that their communication and teamwork with all of the music departments creates an encouraging environment. “Here at LHS, we want everyone to be successful,'' said Anderson. “The band is able to collaborate and support the other music groups here. There is a trend of stability within our fine arts programs and a variety of options for every student.”
Although the fine arts departments rally around one another, they could always use the support of others. “When there are people out in the audience rooting for you, it totally changes the dynamic of your performance,” said LHS junior and french horn player Eden Hodgins. “In a sense, you’re playing for them.” There are many upcoming events and season highlights for the LHS band, including the South Dakota All-State Band. The pressure is on as the weekend of All-State approaches. On March 26-28, students accepted into the program will begin their time of preparation for a final performance on Saturday, March 28, in Mitchell, SD. In addition, on April 6, select LHS concert bands will be performing at the Washington Pavilion. This is considered the most formal performance of the year, which will showcase standard concert band repertoire. Finally, on May 5, all seven sections of the LHS band will complete their final concert of the year. This show is especially entertaining for students because it features songs from this era's pop genre.
The LHS band directors, parent advocates and instrumentalists encourage fellow students to attend as many events as possible. The support and enthusiasm from students is truly what carries the spirit of the band. “We could always use a few more familiar faces in the audience; it's a real confidence booster,” said Carlson.
