Two Southwest students will perform at Wichita in an elite, selective ensemble at KMEA from Feb. 27 to March 1. This is an organization built to bring together musicians at the state level to help further develop better musician in Kansas.

Senior, Grant Laster and sophomore, Justin Skaggs are getting ready to perform as part of the All-State ensemble through KMEA (Kansas Music Educators Association). This is a three day, selective Kansas State festival for band, choir and orchestra.

Band teacher Edward Protzman said the organization hires a university conductor to run each group and there is a concert of all three ensembles on the last day. The concert is held in a large concert hall in Wichita.

These groups are chosen based on audition, which are gone through and chosen to put together the best high school musicians in Kansas. Protzman said Grant and Justin auditioned amongst 1,000 hopeful students this January which was reduced to only 300. Of the six students who learned the required music and tried out, they were the only two from Southwest to make it, and students must be at least a sophomore to audition.  Also, performing through KMEA also gives the musicians to compete on a national level.

For Grant Laster this is his third year to be selected and to perform for the KMEA All-State ensemble which is quite an honor to be selected every year. He will receive recognition at the event for being a three-year member.

“I’m looking forward to bonding with other KMEA people from our school along the way and working under an experienced clinician,” he said.

This is Grant’s seventh year to be involved in band. He joined band in fifth grade – first trying to learn the saxophone.

“I thought it would get me all the ladies,” he said.

Starting with the clarinet he eventually moved on to the alto, and finally in middle school switched to the bassoon which is what he will be performing with at KMEA this year. Laster says KMEA and band has been a great experience for his high school career by giving him confidence, discipline, and goal setting skills.

“KMEA is always an amazing experience. I get to meet new people, bond with musicians from our school, and further my musicianship,” he said.

Justin is also very excited to perform at the state level this month as well.

“This is the first time I have been involved with KMEA,” he said. “I look forward  to hopefully making it into the All State Band in future years to come.”

For Justin music came along naturally for him.

“I’ve been involved in music all my life really,” he said, “Band specifically started for me in fifth grade and then after that I have been forever obsessed with it .”

His dad is also involved in music and plays the trumpet at their church. But that doesn’t mean it made auditioning for  KMEA any easier.

“I was definitely nervous for  the KMEA audition, mainly because I just have a fear of messing up and wanting to play everything perfectly.” Justin said.

Justin plays the euphonium/ baritone. He says that band has given him something that he’s passionate about while surrounding him with a solid  group of friends. He’s been able to  be introduced to other musicians statewide and build relationships for many years to come.

“I want to thank the music staff at BVSW and Mr. Protzman for pushing me to compete and giving me the opportunity to audition,” he says, “I also want to thank my parents for always supporting me and my private instructor for also assisting me in reaching my goals.”

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