By DANIELLE RUSH
A tradition continues tonight at the 53rd annual Howard County Music Festival in the Eastern High School gymnasium.
About 400 band and choir students from Eastern, Northwestern, Taylor and Western will perform in the festival concert at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $3.
The festival is believed to be the longest-running annual performance of its kind in the United States.
Students say the tradition is a great reason to attend tonight’s concert.
Eastern senior Dylan Mullen looks forward to being part of the tradition, in both the band and choir, one more time, and of adding to the tradition. He plays double bass in the school’s orchestra, in addition to playing tuba in the band and singing in the show choir. He said this year is the first to have any orchestra students involved with the county music festival.
“I like how it’s such a long-continuing tradition. I think it’s cool we all still get together, even though we compete in marching band,” he said.
He also likes that there is more focus on percussionists.
Mullen said coming from a small school with small musical groups, it is fun to play as part of a larger group.
“It’s a really cool experience to be part of that,” he said.
Eastern freshman Kelsey Russell, who plays alto saxophone, looks forward to experiencing the large group performance for the first time.
“I think it’s going to be a lot different because we’re used to a small band,” she said. Russell said she thinks people should attend because “it really showcases what the bands can do.”
Junior Shelby Bohmer is in both band and choir at Eastern, and said the best part of the county music festival is meeting the students from other schools. She also looks forward to experiencing the larger sound of the massed band and choir.
She encouraged area residents to attend the concert.
“It’s a tradition continuing what has gone on, and you can see what the different schools have put together.”
• Danielle Rush is the Kokomo Tribune education reporter. She can be reached at 765-454-8585 or danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com.
