Twenty members from the band auditioned for the All-Area Band on Jan. 7 at University of Texas and five will advance to the All-State audition on Feb. 8.

  “It feels great,” senior Alex Moore said. “I guess I worked really hard over the last few years, and it feels great that it’s finally paid off.”

To get to the all-state audition, students who play flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, french horn, tenor trombone and percussion must be one of the top 10 members in their rooms from Phase 1 and Phase 2 to advance to area and then top 5 for all-state. Students who play oboe, bassoon, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass trombone, euphonium and tuba must also be one of the top 10 members in their rooms from Phase 2 to advance to the area audition and the area audition to the all-state audition.

“I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing by keep working hard and trying my best,” Moore said. “We’ll see what happens at the audition.”

Last year,  junior Amy Lee (now a senior) and senior Michael Dang (now a freshman in college) attended the all-state audition. This year, Lee was heartbroken to find out she didn’t advance.

“It’s kind of a bummer but I’m glad I got to do it at least once,” Lee said. “If it doesn’t happen, then it’s okay too and it didn’t happen and it’s all good. I’m upset, it is what it is, but I’m glad I got to do it at least once.”

All 20 members of the All-Area band had winter break and the first week of school before the area audition to practice.

“To advance to the all-state audition, it requires a tremendous amount of effort and work,” sophomore Pranav Batra said. “In order to reach this high level, I’m putting in the extra hours, even if it means not having a life for a week or waking up at 5:45 a.m. every day.”

Out of those 20 members, two of them are freshmen who are advancing to the area audition for the first time. There are also upperclassmen who will also be advancing to area for the first time as well.

“It feels great, if I’m going to be honest,” freshman Izzy Ramirez said. “I took each audition one step at a time and prepared myself for anything to happen, really.”

Those 20 members will be representing Vandegrift at the Area E audition.

“I’m excited, I mean this is a new experience,” junior William Bryan said. “I’ve never made this audition before, and I’m also nervous at the same time, cause it’s an audition for all-state.”