Written by Evelyn Moreno

With concerts and contests coming up, choir, band and orchestra students are having a very busy month. Since this school year began, they have been hard at work perfecting each note and working to make sure they sound good.

“I have fun practicing and performing with my friends,” junior Saba Najmi said.

Choir students have been looking forward to performing at All Region since the beginning of the school year. Oct. 5 was their District contest, and on Oct. 9 they competed in their Region contest.

“We all practiced really hard for All Region,” junior Chandler Werthmann said. “I am proud of all of us.”

For nine years the West choir has been persistent in UIL Sweepstakes Awards and have been awarded many Music Theory Awards as well. They were also honored with First Division Ratings in Concert and Sight-Reading.    

Choir students who did not participate in All Region were excited to perform at their Fall Concert that took place Oct. 19 in the Plano West auditorium.

“I really enjoy singing,” junior Veronika McAninch said. “I especially enjoy singing with all my friends on stage. We always have a good time.” 

The band has a marching and concert season. Students have been busy even before school started, practicing assiduously, making sure everyone is on key and going in the right direction. They have been performing at the football games and played at the Pre-UIL Marching Festival in Mesquite Oct. 1.

“We practice hard every day to make sure we have it right for when we perform,” junior Christina Tompkins said. “After preforming we all feel proud of what we have done.”

The band also has a winterguard program who spend a lot of time rehearsing their steps and movements, making sure everything is on track.  

Orchestra has been named The Outstanding String Orchestra for the state of Texas by the Texas Music Educators Association for five consecutive years. Orchestra will not be entering in the All Region competition this year because of their win last year, which gave them the title of Texas’s “Honor Orchestra.” 

“We have a great teacher,” junior Hillary DeGracia said. “Whenever we do not get something right we keep practicing until we master it. I think that is how the Plano West orchestra has won so many awards in the past couple of years.”

The music department has accomplished many things throughout the years. All their after school rehearsals, practices and drive to win has brought them many honors and awards.

“At the end of a concert or contest it is nice to look back and say ‘wow’,” Tompkins said. “It is a great feeling knowing we put all our effort into the things we love to do, and then seeing how are hard work paid off.”