Students keep beat at band festival
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POLSON — Dozens of drumsticks flashed in the spotlights as high school percussionists tapped out “Seat Beat” on their chairs. The percussionists and their fellow band members from Hamilton, Libby, Polson and Stevensville gathered at Polson High School for the Northwest Montana Band Festival on Jan. 30 and 31.
Students met with guest directors Loraine Enloe, PhD., John Combs and Cody Hollow and worked for two days. Enloe, Combs and Hollow broke the students into smaller groups for instruction while the rest of the students worked with their own band directors: Rich Sawyer, Polson; Shawn Thacker, Hamilton; Brenda Nagode, Libby; and Jeremy Ruff, Stevensville.
Polson students commented that the festival gave them a chance to work with other directors, improve their musicianship and meet students who play the same instruments. They also questioned the directors about college level music classes and majors.
Presented with new music on Jan. 30, the musicians practiced for two days, with Polson and Stevensville bands combining and Libby and Hamilton combining. As a culmination of the festival, the students presented a concert for the public at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 31.
