A number of Kingfisher High School band students voluntarily took on an extra workload at the end of last year and the beginning of this year.

The reward – at least for some – is the right to perform in the state competition next month.

The Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association hosted district solo and ensemble contests earlier this month.

Kingfisher sent 34 junior high and high school students to the competition, all of whom volunteered to compete at the March 4 event at Edmond Santa Fe High School.

It was extra work for those students as both the junior high and high school bands also competed in district band competitions the same week.

The Pride of Kingfisher competed March 7 at Putnam City North High School.

The Pride’s performance of “Amparito Roca” and “Where Eagles Soar” earned one superior rating and two excellent ratings from the three concert judges, falling one superior rating short of advancing on to state.

The band also earned an excel-lent in sight-reading contest.

“We are very pleased with the group’s musical growth over the past two months of learning these very challenging pieces,” said Mandy Owens, who serves as high school and junior high band director along with Dakota Horn.

Owens noted all band students are required to take part in that competition, but the solo and ensemble event is voluntary.

“It’s a volunteer, self-motivated type of thing,” Owens said.

Work began on all the materials shortly after the band wrapped up its Christmas concert late last year.

As a whole, members worked on the prepared pieces for district but the soloists and ensembles also picked out their material for that competition.

They rehearsed every day in class, but Owens said the school’s WIN (What I Need) period also proved beneficial.

The WIN period is 35 minutes each day and allows students to put in extra time in classes where they might need extra help or work.

“That helped us tremendously,” said Owens, who said students were able to use that period to put in their extra work.

“It not only helped us for the district contest as a band, but also the soloists and ensembles and I felt it helped us get more kids in honor band and be better prepared.”

All the work culminated last week.

The soloists and ensembles competed March 4, the high school district competition was March 7 and then the junior high band district competition March 8.

It was a fitting beginning to the month considering March is recognized nationally as “Music in Our Schools Month.”

To advance to state from the district solo and ensemble competitions, performers had to earn a superior rating (or a 1).

Soloists who will compete at the state competition next month at Oklahoma State University are: KC Ortega, flute; Erica Jenkins- Farris, flute; Colton Livingston, clarinet, Ana Cuellar, clarinet; and Alezandro Cuellar, trombone.

The percussion ensemble of Brody Boden, Jesus Montiel, Andrew Osborn and Coleman Kitchens also qualified.

Although they don’t have a state competition to advance to, there were also several junior high students who earned a superior rating at the district competition.

Soloists were: Vanessa Gomez, flute; Dania Garcia, trumpet; Cooper Davis, French horn and Emily Muñoz, flute.

The trumpet trio of Ashley Delatorre, Garcia and Lexi Moyeda also earned a superior as did the percussion duet of Caleb Meadors and Brantley Johnson.

As a whole, the junior high band earned a superior and two excellent ratings at the district competition at PC North.

They performed “Legion of Liberty” and “Corps of Discovery.”

They also earned a superior in the sight reading portion.

“I’m particularly proud of the group’s commitment to each other,” Owens said, noting school was dismissed that day as the high school basketball teams were also playing at the state tournament.

“Although we were out of school, every single band member came to the contest and played their best.”