For Band students at AHS, Red is just the start and Gold is a little better, but Symphonic is really the band where a person wants to be. Band auditions began on Monday and have continued throughout the week and for people who are auditioning it can be very nerve-racking. Most students practice hours everyday just to be perfect for when it is their turn to shine, while others are just born into band. “I know my scales well enough that I’m not nervous,” freshman Noah Wolfenstein said.

While Wolfenstein feels he has everything under control, this time can be stressful for the band teacher, Andrew Loft, as well. He has to listen to many students play their instruments and he has to be very attentive after-school to keep up with these auditions.

After this week, the main auditions will be over, but selections for next year’s ensemble groups aren’t quite finished. Loft will go into middle schools and talk to rising 9th graders about joining the band, and then hold auditions for them. “There are other fill-in auditions, but this one is the major audition,” Loft said.

Band auditions consist of playing two major scales that Loft chooses, playing a chromatic scale and sight reading. Since the students do not know what major scales Loft will choose, preparing for these auditions can be very difficult.

Although many people shrug off the band auditions as just another day to play their instrument, there are many people who count on these auditions to become better at playing their instruments. “I took my oboe home and practiced the circle of fifths, which are scales. These auditions are very important to me because I want to stay in symphonic band,” freshman Erica Johnson said.

They say practice makes perfect and that is exactly what students who are auditioning for band want to become.