Honor band learns more than music

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

For the 100 students who made up the Flagler County middle and high school honor bands, the two-day-long intensive rehearsals weren't just about the music; they were also about learning to adapt to new environments and work together.

“You get used to playing with the same people/teacher all the time, (yet) here they are with a different conductor that they’ve never met before,” said Buddy Taylor Middle School Band Director Susan Morden. “They need to learn to adjust to a number of different things and be flexible."

The middle school students were instructed by guest conductor Don Reynolds, of Nassau County, and the high school students by Shawn Barat, of Jacksonville.

Elizabeth Recker, eighth-grade clarinetist at Indian Trails, said that her favorite part of performances is meeting new people. But she also likes the challenge.

“I learned that you have to always pay attention to the conductor," she said. "It can’t just be for your own group. It has to be for everyone."