Hope High School musicians qualifying for Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association All-Region Band include, left to right, T’khyah Walker, Ke’ara Key, Brandon Gallegos, Jimmy Paredes and Emily Garcia. Gallegos and Key are also eligible for All-State auditions. – Hope Public Schools

Ken McLemore

HOPE – Five Hope High School Bobcat Band musicians qualified for Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association All-Region placement, and two of the five will advance to All-State competition.

HHS All-State eligible musicians selected included junior Brandon Gallegos, first band, 6th chair French Horn, and senior Ke’ara Key, first band 13th chair B-Flat Clarinet.

All-Region qualifiers included sophomore Emily Garcia, second band 11th chair B-Flat Clarinet; junior Jimmy Paredes, second band 5th chair Tenor Trombone; and, sophomore T’khyah Walker, second band 8th chair B-Flat Clarinet.

HHS Bands Director Chris Davis said the five musicians experienced a first this year as the result of the COVID-19 health crisis.

“Auditions were held both at home and at school,” Davis said. “The audition dates were January 18 through 21, and because of COVID-19 everything was done with a program called Opus.”

The predominately virtual auditions were also followed by a virtual region band clinic which featured Randall Standridge, an internationally-known composer from Arkansas.

“It was a learning experience for us as directors and the students, but we made it work,” Davis said.

He said All-State auditions were to be conducted the week of Feb. 1-5 in a virtual format as well.