HHS band, choir to perform in state competition

Years of preparation, hours of individual work and many group rehearsals will be put to the test this weekend when the Hillsboro High School concert band and choir participate in the annual state competition in Cincinnati.

Band director Kevin Grow said that qualifying for the competition is an honor, one that the band has been working toward for years. 

The choir, directed by David White, has made consecutive appearances in the competition for the last several years, according to Grow. 

"The state contest is something we qualified for back in March when we played in a competition at Shawnee State University," Grow said. "The competition is based on ratings, and if you get a superior rating from a panel of four judges, then you qualify to go on to the state level. It has been four years since we qualified. So it's kind of a big deal for us that we're getting back to that level." 

  The competition will be held Friday and Saturday at
Lakota East High School freshman campus in the Cincinnati area. 

Grow said that 46 HHS band members will be participating, including seniors Kelly Devine, Mariah Goad, Meredith Keister, Tess Parry, Meghan Hilterbran and Logan Kelly.

The concert band performances are more formal than the high school marching band, he said. 

"It's a formal type of setting, the kids wear tuxedos and play symphonic music," Grow said. 

During Friday's competition, they will play three pieces: "Flight of the Vampire" by John Prescott; "Scottish Portrait" by James Swearingen; and "Trafalgar Square" by Jack Bullock. 
 
"It's a lot of individual work, and a lot of the students have honed their skills by competing individually, in small groups and in ensemble contests," Grow said. "That individual work has led them back to this level with our larger band program."