Eight Creston High School Marching Band members will be performing in the Southwest Iowa Honor Marching Band in Tampa Bay, Fla.
Dawson Smith, snare drum; Cassandra Batten, alto saxophone; Dylan Linch, mallet percussion; Jordan Phillips, tenor saxophone; Bailey Hopkins, snare drum; Emma Saylor, baritone saxophone; Tyler Peters, trumpet; and John Reasoner, bass drum, were selected to be part of the ensemble through an audition in the spring.
“They had to attend a week-long camp in Atlantic during the summer to learn the music and work on marching,” said Mike Peters, Creston High School band director. “There are kids from 37 different school districts involved, so to put this all together is a monumental task all it’s own. We also have an evening rehearsal in November to refresh the kids memory and learn the new music for the halftime show.”
This group assembles every two years.
“It is a huge honor to be a part of this group that has this kind of countrywide exposure,” Peters said.
The honor marching band’s director is Ruben Newell of Denison High School. This year the band is playing “How the West Was Won” and “On the Watchtower.”
Peters is the percussion instructor for the group and his wife Lisa is the colorguard instructor and choreographer.
The Southwest Iowa Honor Marching Band will appear in Outback Bowl Parade Dec. 31 and as the halftime entertainment at the football game Jan. 1, 11 a.m. local time.