Eight Mira Costa students receive acceptance to the California Orchestra Directors Association All Southern and All-State Honor Bands and Orchestras

By Lauren Farberman

Staff Writer

A total of eight Mira Costa students were accepted into the 2016 California Orchestra Directors Association All Southern and All-State Honor Bands and Orchestras in January after they auditioned.

Auditions took place in December for both the All-State and the All Southern Bands and Orchestras. Auditions for All Southern Bands and Orchestras were live in front of several judges at various high schools around San Diego. For All-State, recordings of several excerpts from selected pieces were submitted online.

“I was not nervous at all before the audition,” senior Daniel Popov said. “The piece of music that I had to play at the audition was announced early so I was comfortable with what I was playing.”

According to Mira Costa Band teacher Joel Carlson, approximately 1000 high school students applied for the All State and All Southern Band and Orchestras. Only about 200 students were accepted based on their auditions.

“All-State is really stringent when auditioning because they receive so many video auditions,” Carlson said. “The slightest mistake will ruin your chance so it  really is great to have two Costa kids in the Symphonic Band and Orchestra.”

After results were released in January via e-mail, students received the pieces they would be playing in a performance. Those accepted into the CODA All-State Honor Band and Orchestras rehearsed in San Jose from Feb. 11-14. Those in All Southern Bands and Orchestras made the trip to Anaheim from Jan. 22-24 where they rehearsed with their new group.

“Working with the All Southern Symphonic Band has been a really cool experience so far,” Popov said. “I plan to go study music in college so it has given me some insight into what college band will be like.”