Over 200 bands from around the nation sent in audition tapes and only eight were chosen to compete. Although neither Wind Symphony nor Symphonic band won the sole award that was given out, it was still an honor to be able to perform at the contest. Not only did the bands get to present the music they’ve been preparing, but they also were able to listen to a concert put on by Pershing’s Own Army Band.

“They were amazing!” flute player, Caitlin Stanford (12) said. “They had really fun music selections and it was great to hear what Shazmataz was actually supposed to sound like.”

Two students from each high school group were chosen to play two songs with the army band. Alex Sullivan (10) and Aaron Bell (11) were chosen from Symphonic band and Gavin Wilhelm (10) and Conrad Bucholtz (11) were chosen from Wind Symphony.

The OHS bands were able to explore the city of D.C. while they were on their trip. In a guided tour, they saw the Washington Monument, the FDR Memorial, the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the Korean Memorial, and the World War II Memorial. They were also given a tour of the U.S. Capitol Building and got to visit the Library of Congress. On their final day of the trip, the bands went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and then had an afternoon to go to any of the Smithsonian’s they chose.

“The D.C. trip was fun since this was the first trip since Hawaii that we actually got a little bit of freedom and got to choose what we did with a portion of our time spent there,” Stanford said.