Five Holland Middle School Band students were nominated for and chosen to participate in the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Associations’ District X Middle School All-Star Band at East Kentwood High School this past Saturday, January 12th. 3 HMS 7th graders and 2 HMS 8th graders diligently rehearsed their band music for this event the entire day with many other middle school band members from school districts all over West Michigan in preparation for their concert that evening. All students participating in this event were nominated by their band directors for their talent, work ethic, leadership, and musicianship that they demonstrate in their normal band classes on a daily basis. Students at this event had the luxury of being able to play band literature of more challenging caliber than what they might not otherwise be exposed to in their home school district bands. They also had the unique challenge of being expected to play and put their individual instrument parts together with students from other school districts whom they had never played with before. In the end, the hard work and long hours of rehearsing definitely paid off, as the students put on a fantastic concert, made new friends, and gained an incredibly valuable experience they will remember for a long time to come! Congratulations to HMS 7th graders Emmett Book, Gretchen Timmer, and Noah Kelly, as well as HMS 8th graders Zak Shanahan and Jaelynn Ybarra-Brandon on a job, well done!