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Two SoWashCo Schools Students Participate in MBDA All-State Honor Bands

  • 2022-23

SoWashCo Schools band students performed with the MBDA All-State Honor Bands.

MBDA All-State Band Student Maria

Two South Washington County Schools (SoWashCo Schools) band students recently performed with the 2023 Minnesota Band Directors Association (MBDA) All-State Honor Bands. 

Henry Sayers, a student in grade seven at Woodbury Middle School (WMS), who plays trombone and Maria Nereng, a student in grade nine at Woodbury High School (WHS), who plays the saxophone, were selected to the MBDA All-State Honor Band and performed at a concert at Fergus Falls High School alongside musicians from 82 schools in Minnesota.

Henry and Maria submitted audition recordings and were selected from 310 students who auditioned from 82 schools throughout the state. 

Membership in these honor bands is one of the highest honors young band students can achieve. 

HenrySayers MBDA All-State Participant

The 6-8 honor band was directed by Dr. Shauna Pickens, Assistant Professor of Music Education at Concordia College in Moorhead. The 9-10 honor band was directed by Dr. Ken Dye, Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the University of Notre Dame.