It’s that time of year again, REGION BAND TIME! Region band is where any interested 7^th or 8^th grade band student is given the chance to compete against other people of the same instrument, in the region. This year region band will take place November 8, 2014 at Lopez Middle School. Anyone who enters will play the following scales; A flat, B flat, C natural, D flat, E flat, F natural, G natural, and chromatic all by memory. The musicians will also play two difficult songs that are chosen uniquely every year. Garner Middle School has the following five people offering to representing our school; on the saxophone- Cooper Barnstrom (7), on the trumpet- Skyler McKee (8), on percussion- Ethan Garza (8) and Cameron Shough (8) and on the flute- Jessica Harden (7).

“It would be fun to challenge myself,” says Cameron Shough (8)

One of the ways that these musicians are challenging themselves is mainly because of the scales. Every scale is two octaves except for the chromatic scale. The chromatic scale is every note for three octaves. “Chromatic scale is the hardest,” says Cooper Barnstrom.

The chromatic scale also includes any flat, sharp, or natural note. The songs they will play also can include any note in the chromatic scale. Every song and scale will have dynamics like Forte, Mezzo Forte, Mezzo Piano, Piano, Crescendo, and Decrescendo. After memorizing the scales and perfecting the music the musicians now must do the most nerve racking part, playing in front of the judges. Let’s wish our musicians good luck and hope that they will do great.