On Saturday, January 17th, the Bi-State Honor Band took place at SIU-E and FHC was represented by four talented students. Band director Mr. Nathan Griffin submitted the applications of flutist Kaley Black, trumpetist Mackenzie Klotzbach, flutist Taylor Poenicke, and percussionist Hailey Winters. The Bi-State Honor Band challenges all students who are a part of it by giving all students who are a part of it by giving them very challenging music to perform and in a short twelve hour period.

“I got it [the music] and almost had a heart attack. It was the hardest music I’ve ever seen,” Poenicke said. “It was the hardest music I’ve ever played, and I had the shortest amount of time I’ve ever had to prepare it.”

The band was split up in three different groups based on their auditions. The separations of these bands led to the best playing with the best during the concert. The most important part was playing in a band with people who have never met before.

“I was put in the third level band which was the Black band,” Black said. “It was really fun being in a band with a bunch of people I have never met before.”

Music is the main part of a concert, and this concert had many different styles and genres of music. Music brought about a new means of entertainment for all in attendance.

“The music was a very good mix of  pieces,” Winters said. “It was modern as well as classical.”

The band proved to be worth the work as the musicians played their hearts out in the concert that proved to show the true talent of many band students.