August 19, 2024
The Wayside Middle School Honor Band has been selected to perform at the 2025 Music for All National Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana, a prestigious honor that underscores the dedication and talent of its students and staff. The band was surprised by their directors with the news on the first day of school, with EMS ÀÏ˾»ú¸£ÀûÉç board members, and campus and district administrators on hand to join in the celebration.
The festival, which will take place from March 13-16, 2025, is renowned for showcasing some of the finest middle and high school bands in the country. In fact, only 10 middle school bands and 23 high school bands were selected, making Wayside's inclusion a significant achievement.
“I am so excited because the band gets to experience something that only a few get to. We get to work harder than ever to go to this crazy, huge place that is entirely new to us. This band means so much to me and I am so happy that I get to go,” said Emily Love, an eighth-grade French horn player.
According to Assistant Band Director Taylor Ely, the journey to this honor was one of intense preparation and commitment.
“Our Honor Band students gave and continue to give so much of their time, energy and passion to make this possible,” Ely said. “Honor Band met every Tuesday evening from January to May 2024 for additional rehearsal time on some truly difficult literature. The recording process was challenging in the best way possible.”
For the students in the band, the rarity of the accomplishment is still setting in.
“I’ve been made aware that Wayside being accepted for this competition is a first for the entire Eagle Mountain-Saginaw district. This left me astonished; out of every middle school in the entire country, this program chose us," James Salas, student conductor and eighth-grade euphonium player, said. "That’s not to say our school didn’t deserve this, but it is truly mind-boggling that our band and school as a whole has achieved such greatness.”
Ely pointed out that the band recorded their application audition at the Boswell High School auditorium, adjusting microphones and band member placements to ensure the highest quality recording. The four recording sessions on weekends and evenings showcased the band's dedication to achieving this goal.
Dr. Ben Shaffer, Wayside's Head Band Director, dedicated countless hours to ensuring the music was taught with precision.
“He had pages of notes on tuning tendencies, slight adjustments that needed to be made, and so much more sitting at the front of the band with him during every rehearsal,” Ely added.
The Music for All National Festival is one of the most coveted honors in the competitive world of middle school bands, particularly in Texas, where the competition is fierce. The festival is run by Music for All, an organization recognized for its significant contributions to fine arts advocacy and national programming, including Bands of America and the Summer Symposium.
“This recognition means that the Wayside Band has been recognized as a truly outstanding concert band,” Ely said. “This is the payoff that we have been working towards and hoping for since our team came together five years ago. We achieved this wonderful honor the Wayside way: by encouraging our students to reach for something more than they thought was possible and by maintaining a positive, collaborative atmosphere where each student felt important and valued.”
We are #EMSproud of the Wayside Middle School Honor Band for this achievement, one that reflects years of hard work, dedication and a shared passion for music.
