Two Redhawks made the TMEA All-State band after an audition process that began months ago. Senior trumpetist Suhaib Sabir and senior euphoniumist Ethan Kim will travel to San Antonio for the TMEA Convention Feb. 12-16.

For Sabir, preparation for the All-State auditions began in late July with their first audition being in December.

“As soon as [the region audition music is] announced, I look at the music, I have the book, so I start practicing the music, start preparing it,” Sabir said. “I started like a really slow temple, like sight reading it, working through notes and rhythms. And then as I practice it more and I get more comfortable with that, I can move more into more advanced stuff, like dynamics and phrasing and musicality, and that’s what can really help set apart my audition from other people.”

As it’s one of the most prestigious awards received by high school band students, qualifying for the All-State band is something to be proud of.

“Over 60,000 students participate in these auditions and only 5% make the All-State band,” band director Ana Hinojosa-Santi said. “It is a very grueling process, and is a great honor.”

Kim was ranked fourth in area and came into the audition prepared, but was no less excited for qualifying.

“I really wasn’t nervous at all,” Kim said. “In the audition room, I just played my best. I never thought freshman year that I’d ever be able to go to TMBA, but making it my last year was definitely a clutch kind of factor, and I’m excited for that.”