By Devon Cormier
Staff Writer

Seven students from the David R. Cawley Middle School band will travel to Plaistow to participate in an All State Band concert in April. Music Director Andrew Lalos said he is thrilled for the students and only wishes more would audition.

THEY’RE THE BEST – The top musicians at Hooksett’s Cawley Middle School get to play with other students considered New Hampshire’s best at the All State Band Concert. They are, from left, Jake Desharnais, Angela DeFreest, Danielle Ithier, Claire Penney, Teri Goyette and Jesse Greene. Not shown is Andrew Ang. (Devon Cormier Photo)

“I try to give them incentive and encourage them to do this,” Lalos said. “If I had it my way, everybody would do this. They are really good kids and this is a great experience.”

The program began last year. All middle school students in the state are urged to make an audition tape playing their instrument. The best students for each instrument are then chosen to play in an All State concert with the best in the state. Three out of the seven students chosen from Cawley ranked number one on their instrument.

Angela DeFreest, a flute player, was one of them. DeFreest, in eighth grade, also played in the All Star concert last year.

“It’s an amazing opportunity,” DeFreest said. “Everyone gets together and practices for four hours, and then you get to the concert and put it all together – it just sounds amazing.”

Many students are thankful for the opportunity because although there is a high school version of the program, not many students are sure that they will try out at that level. Some are concerned about other activities, some worried about keeping their grades up, and others fear that it will be too difficult competing against the seniors.

Despite those worries, this experience was particularly rewarding for this batch of seventh- and eighth-graders.

“It’s a really good experience and it is really a great honor to make it,” said 12-year-old Dani Ithier. “The experience itself – it’s really exciting.”

Ithier said she wasn’t even planning on auditioning, but since Lalos offered the students required practice time to make the tape, she decided to go for it. Now the percussionist will fight mild nerves before entering her first All State concert.

Lalos said each student involved will get to skip school on Friday, April 1, to travel to Plaistow and practice for the concert. Lalos and the students also like that the judges offer each child some criticism, or areas to improve in, before the big day.

“So on April 1 they will all go down to Timberlane with other selected people from middle schools across the state and play some music,” Lalos said. “Then they will put them all together. It’s hard, but you can adapt yourself into any group. That’s why they were chosen.”