Photos courtesy of John Laswell and Westerville North Bands
The student musicians of Westerville are dispersed across three schools, but one event brings together the best and most dedicated of the bunch. The Westerville Honor Band, started in the 2019-20 school year, recognizes top musicians from all three high schools.
“It’s the best of the best out of the three (high schools) put together,” says John Laswell, Westerville South High School director of bands.
Westerville’s three high school band directors come together to select the most deserving of their students for the honor. Then, in collaboration with Westerville Community Bands, those students participate in a day of instruction and rehearsal followed by a concert the next day with Westerville Community Bands.
This year, that performance, titled the Young Person’s Concert, will take place Sunday, March 6 at Westerville Central High School. Chris Hoch, director of The Ohio State University Marching and Athletic Bands, will work with students as a clinician the day before the concert.
For students, participating in the Westerville Honor Band is an opportunity to take on challenging music with much less rehearsal time than an ensemble typically offers.
Matthew Sliwinski, a senior tuba player at Westerville North, says that playing in similar groups in the past has helped improve his musical abilities.
“The music seems impossible when you first get it but you practice it and you’re just playing it fine,” he says. “You learn how to do things quickly.”
More than just the challenge of working with advanced compositions, Honor Band requires students to adapt to a new group of musicians and a different setting.
“A new environment is always challenging with a new listening environment,” says oboist Lydia Fyock, a senior at South. “It’s an experience where it helps you grow as a musician.”
Each Westerville high school has a marching band, two concert bands and a jazz band. Honor
Band, comprised of around 60 musicians, is similar in size to one of those concert band ensembles.
With a roughly even split of members from each of the high schools, Honor Band puts students beside musicians they may not be familiar with. At the same time, it also gives students a chance to reconnect with friends from middle school or childhood.
“The No. 1 thing the kids look forward to more than anything is getting to play with their friends,” Laswell says.
Fyock, who also participated in the first Honor Band, says that playing with old friends and meeting new ones was a highlight of her experience.
While those connections are important, working with the Westerville Community Bands can be similarly influential. Sam Weaver, a senior French horn player at Westerville South, says he’s particularly looking forward to hearing insights from music director Larry Klabunde.
Working with Klabunde and the other musicians is a chance for students to see a path forward with music after high school, Laswell says. Some of the students may pursue a study of music in college but others may choose to pursue other career paths. Still, musical abilities can help students to receive scholarships and provide fulfillment beyond school.
“(Westerville Honor Band’s) vision is a whole music-for-life type of message,” he says. “The community band has people from ages 19 to 85. Having the high school kids see that and participate helps them see that the valuable experiences they have now, they can have for the rest of their lives.”
The Honor Band is intended to continue with a biannual selection and concert, Laswell says.
The Young Person’s Concert will take place at 3 p.m. March 6 at Westerville Central High School, 7118 Mt. Royal Ave. Find more information on Westerville Community Bands at www.westervillebands.org.
Photos courtesy of John Laswell and Westerville North Bands
Cameron Carr is an editor. Feedback welcome at ccarr@cityscenemediagroup.com.
