With the recent unprecedented situation of Covid-19 going on, typical end of the year band events have changed.
“We look forward to seeing [everyone] and getting back to normal when we can,” head band director Steven Moore said. “The directors have [all of our students] in our prayers and when this virus runs it course, we will come out of this and be just fine.”
The Wind Ensemble’s performance at the Dallas Showcase of Music and the UIL Concert and Sightreading contest are officially canceled for the year. All of the Region 21 UIL music events have been canceled. As of right now, state solo and ensemble, the spring concert and squad leader camp are currently still scheduled to happen.
“I was looking forward to my first year of doing high school UIL, and now I am bummed that I will not be able to anymore,” freshman Bailey Roach said. “Performing with a group is something I also really miss which makes me wish we could go back to how things usually are.”
Each year the seniors take a trip to different locations, but this year’s trip to Tennessee is now on hold to wait and see how the situation develops. Moore has paid for travel insurance in case the trip gets canceled for some money to get refunded back to them.
“You work four years to do one thing, and hold up a tradition,” senior Mady Eaves said. “The last chance you are given being stripped from you feels unfair to the freshmen who are just starting their high school band career, but also to the seniors who have been in this program for four years.”
Academic and athletic events are state advancing, and they will also get rescheduling preference over music events. Attempting to reschedule the music events would create a daunting task due to all music regions in the state having to hire a limited pool of judges in a short amount of time.
“To see all of our hard work so far this year get put on hold for this virus made me and others in the band program very sad,” junior Chloe Harbuck said. “It is disappointing to think about the fact that we possibly performed for the last time this year without even knowing it.”
More information on dealing with COVID-19 can be found at the CDC at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
