On Nov. 17-20, siblings Bekah and Everett Dickey, junior and freshman, respectively, attended the Western International Band Clinic’s 45th Annual Convention in Seattle, WA.
“I originally heard about this opportunity from Mr. Simon Austin, our stand-in band director at the time,” said Bekah Dickey. “A couple of my friends were planning on auditioning and I thought it would be fun to try. I have done some honor bands down in LA in the past, but nothing to this scale.”
Over 600 students from high school Honor Bands around the country participated in the convention, with Bekah and Everett being the only two Burroughs students chosen to attend. During the convention, The siblings, who were each put into separate Honor Bands, participated in rigorous seven-hour rehearsals for two days, and performed on the final day. Each night, they watched performances from other ensemble groups, ranging from middle school to college level performances.
“We were led by many famous composers and conductors, who rotated rehearsals/clinics with each band,” said Dickey. “My favorite part of this clinic was probably listening to the talented groups that performed at the venue. It was exciting to experience all the unique and fun pieces at each concert.
Though the convention was geared towards rigorous rehearsals and performances, there were opportunities for participants to break away and sight-see during the latter part of their trip. Some of the activities included a visit to the Space Needle and touring different museums.
“One of the museums we went to was the Museum of Pop Culture,” said Dickey. “They had a sound lab which was a hands-on exhibit that explored the various elements of making music.”
The convention provided a valuable learning experience for all band members who participated.
“Getting to learn from world-renowned conductors and composers was really a fascinating experience that gave me the chance to grow my musicianship and learn more about the music community,” said Dickey.
