Auditions for the All-County High School Band were held on January 14, 2020, at Helena Middle School. Students from all over Shelby County assembled in the Helena cafeteria. Students practiced scales and a prepared audition piece, ranging from different arrangers for each instrument. Students were expected to have a minimum of 5  of 8 scales and a chromatic scale memorized in order to be given the opportunity to even play their prepared pieces. Once they’ve moved on from the scales room, they were then able to play their piece for a judge and were given 30 seconds to look over a new piece placed in front of them at the time of the audition.

Auditioning can be stressful, but band director Eric Kirkland says that, “There is no harm in auditioning. Auditioning can give you more experience for the future.”

Each high school band director is given the scores of their participating students and students that tried out are told the next day.

Auditionees from Montevallo include Ja’Quel Williams, Rebeca Emiliano, and Omar Velasco. Students who are accepted will be performing a free concert on February 22, 2020, at Oak Mountain High School at 2:00 pm.