The 200 students in the band room can make the current space feel a little cramped. That along with their recent successes has made a good argument to expand their space. This is coming in the form of a new 9 million dollar band room soon to be added to the 400 building. Yes, there is going to be 1000 square feet added into the middle of the courtyard, and the courtyard will forever be changed. Not only will this fancy band room have state-of-the-art sound panels and practice rooms, but it’ll also create a set of stairs in the middle of the courtyard. It’s incredibly exciting. The long row of trophies in the 1800 square feet current band room will find a newly improved home. Our greatest condolences to the class of 2024 as the band room will not be a functional feature until January 2025. Construction on the room will start right after spring break this year. So after spring break, you may need to find a new route to class or lunch.

You might not think the courtyard should be impacted by this band room, but Union has many successes that make this change make sense. For example, half the state qualifiers for the solo ensemble have been from Union. The Wind Ensemble also qualified for a highly competitive musical event, Music for All. 73 band members are headed to Indiana in late March. They have been working hard at their music since the beginning of the school year and it all comes to a climax in this competition.

For those who don’t know, Music for All is a highly competitive and renowned musical festival that occurs over the span of a week. Last year the Percussion Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra had their chance at Music for All. The majority of the performers come from Texas, and being from Washington and the Northwest region isn’t common. Music for All takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana; in this case: the windy highlight of the musical high school experience. Savannah Lee who plays the piccolo said, “My freshmen year we tried out Indianapolis, but last year we were a lot more connected which I think helped us get in this year.” The Wind Ensemble has put together 5 elaborate pieces that will wow the masses. Mr. Morrell said his goal with the five pieces this year is to bring a Northwest feel to the table, bringing pieces that date back to 1551 all the way up to 1996.

Come out and see the band perform at 7:00 pm on March 14th in the theater. They will be playing their set for the second to last time. It’s not only the music that you will enjoy, it is also the way the band members appreciate each other. Luyang Wu who plays the clarinet said, “ It’s been a really cool experience to be in the band and play with everyone in it.” The band is about more than just music. Julia who plays the Tuba stated, “This trip has been a combination of hard work and also people you care about.” Mr. Morrell commented on the uniqueness of Union Band, “They’re involved in so many things, even though there are kids who are really die-hard band kids, they’re well rounded.” We wish these musicians the best of luck, they’ve earned it, and the new band room.