As many students enjoyed a relaxing Thanksgiving break, some band students were beginning their final preparations for the All-Region audition on Thursday.

“All-Region auditions are important for students because it helps them grow as individual musicians,” assistant director of bands Cecily Yoakam said. “Really it is a contest of who has prepared the best the day of the auditions. It is a great opportunity for students to learn how to practice properly and again, achieve on an individual level in ways traditional bands can’t really provide.”

The audition gives students the chance to show off the hard work they have been putting into the music since July.

“My goal heading into this first audition is to qualify for the second phase,” sophomore Shivansh Twari said. “I know that is what everyone else will say their goal is, but I think it would be an amazing opportunity to show off my hard work and what I can do in the music.”

For the audition, students are divided into groups of 50 and ranked based on their performance, with the top ten advancing to the next phase.

“My goal is to simply make it past phase one,” freshman Robert Wang said. “I think it is important to participate in All-Region because it shows time management. It also helps people to know what skill level they are at based on where they place.”

By helping players to improve their individual playing, the audition process helps prepare them for their future solo and ensemble contest.

“Participating in all region is definitely a teaching experience,” Twari said. “Working on this over a long period of time really gives you the chance to refine your skill and learn something new, training your sense of slow and steady progress. In addition, putting yourself in front of other people to play your piece helps me get better at performing in front of other people, which will be helpful for the solo competition.”

Yoakam believes that it is not the results that are the most important, rather it is the dedication and improvement from students that is the most important aspect of the process.

“My goal for students in the band is just to do their best,” Yoakam said. “As long as everyone who walks into that audition room tries the absolute best they can, then we will be proud. As long as students try, then we are in good shape. It takes a lot of guts to even audition, so truly, I will just be proud of anyone who walks in ready to try their best. Anything else that happens is icing on the cake.”