Elite band students come together from all over the county to play together, thus forming the all-district band. Potomac Falls is privileged to have several students make the symphonic and concert bands and nine of those students are auditioning for all-state band as well.

 “District band is an opportunity for the best kids in the district to come together to create a group of musicians that is more advanced and more skilled. They are conducted by a renowned conductor that can share with them some of the great things that they know and also draw out of the kids some of the wonderful things that they’re capable of that they may not get a chance to do in their own program,” said band director Tim Niebergall.

 Many of these students are not newcomers to playing at the high skill level that district band demands, this included senior Arthur Wang, who plays the trombone as well as the violin and has 12 years of musical experience. After five years in district band and finishing in the top ten of “Loudoun’s Got Talent”, Wang has experience with many different types of music, but this year’s pieces disappointed him.

 “Usually I [enjoy the pieces], but this year they were more abstract, so I didn’t really like them,” said Wang.

 Freshman Abby Asuncion, who plays the oboe, disagrees.

 “[The pieces] were really crazy and fun. They were very out of the ordinary, unlike the pieces we play in regular band,” said Asuncion.

 Asuncion has two years of experience in playing in district band from seventh and eighth grade, in which she made first chair. The experience didn’t stop her from feeling slightly intimidated because she was one of the few freshman, but she was pleasantly surprised to find that the other musicians welcomed her and admired her abilities. She was extremely excited to make second chair symphonic band this year and to experience new music.

 “This year I was in the top band and we played more difficult music. It was so cool because I’d never played music like that. In seventh and eighth grade they were very easy and I had already played similar pieces,” said Asuncion.

 One of the musicians accepting her was junior Maura McHugh, who has played the trumpet since sixth grade and has been playing in the district band for four years. She feels that auditioning and playing has helped her make many new friends from other schools as well as improve her skills as a musician.

 “Playing with better musicians, the best musicians in county, it’s easier to play [well] when you’re surrounded by good musicians,” said McHugh.

 Senior Ethan Hamilton believes that because the event was only three days long his skills weren’t affected. Hamilton plays eight different instruments, but tried out on the French horn. He hopes to make all-state band, which he would not consider to be his greatest musical achievement since he believes another one of his accomplishments is better.

 “Right now I’m writing the score for a movie that’s coming out in April. It’s a short film called “Extraordinary Hero”,” said Hamilton.

 Strength as a musician is not always reflected by outside achievements, something that sophomore Sam Shapiro knows very well. He considers making district band, an impressive achievement, to be the most amazing thing he’s done musically. He thought it to be a good environment and a nice change from regular band.

 “It’s a great experience to push yourself to improve [so you can] get in and when you’re there it makes you feel pretty good about your skills,” said Shapiro.

 All the talented musicians that were unable to make it this year have a full year to prepare and hone their skills to a level where they can be better than the other musicians they must compete against for a spot.

 “The only thing I can advise is that you need to be better today than you were yesterday, and you need to be better tomorrow than you are today. You gotta just keep getting better,” said Niebergall.

 These musicians could not have made the all-district band without support, something that does not go unnoticed by Niebergall.

 “I’m extremely proud of the young ladies and gentlemen that represented our school at all-district band. Given that we’re one of the smaller schools in northern Virginia, we have an impressive group of musicians here, and it’s in no small part because of the support we get from other teachers, the administration, the middle school band program. We’re very lucky in this community to have some fine kids that are supported well. So thanks to everyone for that achievement,” said Niebergall.