St. Francis Students Selected For All-State Honor Band
Launch the media gallery 1 playerThe Kansas John Philip Sousa Honor Band is a statewide honor
band open to students in grades 6-9. Participants in the band are
selected by audition and are among the most talented middle level
musicians in the state of Kansas . Of the 347 students who
auditioned this year, 83 were selected for the top band, the Blue
Band, and 106 were selected for the Red Band.
From St. Francis, eighth grader Sarah Whitmore, flute, and freshman
Logan Whitmore, trumpet, were each selected to play fourth chair in
the Blue Band.
“This is quite an accomplishment and a great honor for Sarah and
Logan. Not only are they the first students from St. Francis to
audition for the Sousa Honor Band, but they were competing against
students from much larger school districts such as Wichita and
Kansas City,” said St. Francis music director Debbie Fiala.
Logan and Sarah traveled to the University of Kansas on January 23
and 24 where they rehearsed with fellow honor band members Friday
evening and Saturday morning. On Saturday afternoon, they performed
in a public concert at the Lied Center on the University of Kansas
campus. The Blue Band was under the direction of Mr. Douglas Akey,
renowned composer and band director at Hendrix Junior High School
in Chandler , Arizona .
