Several Middle School Band members participated in the Texas Private School Music Education Association auditions in late February.

Students who earned a chair then participated in a clinic and concert held at Greenhill in Rose Hall.

Preparation for the auditions and performance was intensive, with students devoting weeks to practicing both in and out of class.

“I practiced just about every day, breaking the audition pieces up into chunks to master it,” seventh grade student Abe Glazer said. “I also got advice from my private lesson teacher that I meet with once weekly.”

During the concert, the Middle School students were joined by Upper School students as well as 20 other private schools from the North Texas area.

This opportunity allowed the incoming freshmen students to observe the performances of the Upper Schoolers with whom they will collaborate next school year.

“I’m looking forward to more challenging pieces when working with them, whether it be in band or at clinics like these,” eighth grade student Owen Gao said.

Middle and Upper School Band Director Brian Donnell says he saw the performance as a connection within Greenhill and other schools.

“The students and directors from all the other schools had a great time making music together,” Donnell said.

For the middle schoolers, this was a learning experience because they had to be efficient and adapt to learning music in a short amount of time. They received their music on Friday afternoon for the first time, rehearsed Friday night and Saturday morning, then performed the concert Saturday afternoon.

Donnell says he wanted his students to learn that the preparation and hard work they used for this audition is a lifelong skill they will use.

“They can put the work in to improve their playing because talent alone is usually not enough to succeed in music or life,” Donnell said.