Twenty-six seventh and eighth graders from Central Baldwin Middle School were selected to participate in the 11th Annual Southeastern United States Middle School Honor Band held on December 2-4 at Troy State University in Troy, Alabama.

Ashley Brannon, Central Baldwin Middle School Band Director, said this is the largest group represented from the 55 schools participating from all over the Southeast.

“This is the second year in a row we have taken a large group with us. Ten of them went last year and were very excited when they came back and encouraged their friends to apply this year. We have some very talented musicians and I am so proud of them,” Brannon said.

Each student has to apply for the honor band and then are selected based on their application. Sixty applied and 26 were selected, Brannon said. There are three different bands-Gold, Silver and Cardinal, with Gold being the top band.

Each band has roughly 100 members and five eighth graders made the Gold Band, nine seventh and eighth graders made the Silver Band and 11 seventh and eighth graders made the Cardinal Band, Brannon said.

Held on the campus of Troy af the John M. Long School of Music , auditions were held on Thursday afternoon to see which band and chair the students would receive. They were treated to a concert by the Troy University Symphony Band on Thursday night, Brannon said.

Starting at 8 a.m. on Friday morning and lasting until 8:30 p.m. that night with various breaks during the day, all three bands rehearsed with three well-known musicians from all over the United States and Canada.

On Saturday, they had the concert featuring all three bands. The Gold Band was under the direction of Mr. Douglas Macaulay, director of the West Vancouver Youth Band, the Silver Band under the direction of Mr. Joseph Stites, Western Kentucky University and the Cardinal Band, under the direction of Mr. Jamie Birdwell, Mosley High School. Lynn Haven, Florida.

Mr. Dallas C. Burke, former assistant director of Foley High School, is the composer-in-residence at Troy and wrote one piece for each band to perform, Brannon said. He is currently director of Seminole County Middle/High School Bands in Donalsonville, Georgia.

Each student received a medal for participating, Brannon said, and for some, it was the first time they had a chance to visit a college campus.

“We didn’t have these opportunities when I was in middle school and it is so nice for these students to be able to participate in these events. It is something they can put on their musical resume and add to it through the years,” Brannon said.

The band also performed in the Robertsdale Christmas parade on Saturday, December 4 and had their Fall Concert on Tuesday, December 7.

“It’s really fun to see these kids grow and learn together and I get to grow and learn with them. It’s nice to get away from school once in a while and get to know them as people and see their personalities away from school,” Brannon said.