Band students in All-Region

“Surprised,” said Kallie Koon about her selection to the Jr. High All-Region Band.

Koon and Jacob Boyle, both 14, were selected to the All-Region VI Honor Band recently, according to band director Matt McCool.

Boyle, eighth grade, is the son of Tony and Jennifer Boyle. He is in his third year of band and plays the tuba.

Koon, ninth grade, is the daughter of Nikki and William Koon. She is in her fourth year of band and plays the trumpet.

Band students selected to the all region Vi honor band

The auditions included band students from Bentonville, Rogers, Mountain Home, Berryville, Gravette, as well as many others in the region. They both participated in a two-day clinic Jan. 25 and 26 in Mountain Home. All the students who were selected to the Jr. and Sr. High All Region Bands spent Friday afternoon and Saturday morning rehearsing with their respective bands. A

concert was performed on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s a great honor when you try out for All Region,” McCool said. “There are hundreds of kids there. It doesn’t matter what size school you are from.”

McCool said it’s an honor band and provides and opportunity for the students to play with other musicians of their level and with bands more than twice the size of the Pea Ridge school bands.

The marching band scored excellent in contests this past fall. The concert band will compete in a contest in March.

“I feel pretty good about how our band is doing,” McCool said, adding that there are almost 80 students in beginning (sixthgrade) band and he hopes many of those students will stay in band and help build the high school program.

Katie Hendrix is the lead Middle School Band director and assistant director at the high school.

Times photograph by Annette Beard Pea Ridge band students Jacob Boyle, eighth grade, and Kallie Koon, ninth grade, were selected to the Jr. High AllRegion Band. They are under the direction of senior high band director Matt McCool and junior high band director Katie Hendrix.