Student earns spot in All-State Band

Lauryn DesChamps, a Hahnville High School student and a member of the band, was selected for the All-State Honor Band.

DesChamps plays trumpet and was selected after months of work getting ready for the various steps of tryouts.

"She's pumped," said Hahnville band teacher Jessica Wyrick. "Normally only juniors and seniors make it in and she's only a sophomore. She's phenomenal."

There were two rounds of tryouts that DesChamps had to go through before being chosen.

The first round was held at F.T. Nicholls High School in New Orleans. Out of 25 trumpet players, five from the district were chosen to move on to the final round.

The final round of tryouts was in Lafayette where DesChamps competed against 45 other trumpet players from around the state. 

To earn her spot in the state ensemble, DesChamps had to play all 12 major scales from memory, two prepared pieces and one sight-reading piece.

She was placed as sixth chair in the All-State Concert Band.
The state band will have its clinic on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 21 and 22. The band will then perform in a concert on Nov. 23, Wyrick said.

The director of the All-State Concert Band will be Dr. Frank Tracz, Director of Band at Kansas State University, with Wayne Winner, Concert Band Chairman, presiding.