For a select group of Luverne High School students, musicality ranks high when it comes to preparing for the future.

Eight students were recently selected to represent their school in the Huntingdon Symphonic Honor Band at Huntingdon College in Montgomery and in the South Eastern United States (SEUS) Honor Band at Troy University.

In order to prepare for the task of auditioning, each student had to go through an application process that required him or her to submit an application to each college hosting the honor bands. If the students were then selected by the university, they then attended a chair audition and were asked to play selected music as well as scales for a panel of judges.

Jonathan Chance has served as the director for the Luverne High School marching band for the past 12 years and always makes sure that students are up to par before recommending them for these bands. Chance makes sure to choose the participating students based on their performances in class as well as their preparedness. “If they turn in an application and I feel they are not quite ready for honor band, we will discuss it and then wait for next year,” said Chance.

Each student was asked to practice and prepare for these honor bands about two weeks prior to the audition to make sure their skills were honed and that the students were ready for the upcoming challenge.

As a former band student himself, Chance understands the importance of introducing students to different experiences throughout their high school careers. It is his hope that by allowing students to have the opportunity to participate in honor band competitions, it will prepare them for collegiate band days in the future.

“It prepares them not only for college scholarship auditions, but it also improves our band as a whole,” said Chance.

Students participating in the Huntingdon Symphonic Honor Band will travel to Montgomery on Jan. 8 and 9. Those participating in the South Eastern United States (SEUS) Honor Band will travel to Troy University on Feb. 4-6.