The band room at Southmoreland Senior High School is bound to be filled with music. The room is full of students trying to get in as much  practice time on their instruments as they can. For some they’re trying to perfect their concert band music or they’re memorizing music for marching band. However, one band event is coming very soon that has many students scrambling for a practice room: PMEA Honors band.

PMEA Honors band is an extremely elite, audition-based, honors band that only accepts the best instrumental musicians from each high school that participates.

“Each instrument brings its own level of stress” said Ila Greenawalt, a PMEA auditionee from Southmoreland, “It’s very difficult, college level music. It’s requires a lot of time and attention.”

Students are encouraged to receive their audition music as early as possible. “I try to give them as much time to prepare for their auditions as possible” said band director Mrs. Jaime Gore, “I try to have it copied by May so it’s in the students’ hands for the summer.”

Some students such as junior Dakota Coffman, receive their pieces up to a year before their auditions.

“I got my piece as soon as last year’s auditions were over and I’ve been practicing non stop. You really wanna be as prepared as possible for auditions,” Coffman said.

“It’s not the amount of time you have or don’t have, it’s what you do with that time that matters” said Greenawalt.

When the students finally enter South Fayette High School where they will perform for their auditions, they are met the dozens of other auditionees.

“It’s very intimidating,” said  Coffman. “You’ll be stunned by the amount of talent in the room.”

Since seating is limited, many students do not make it past the audition process; however, it is still an immensely rewarding experience for the students that participate.

“You get a sense of self-accomplishment knowing how hard you worked for it and regardless of whether or not you make it in, you know you gave it your all,” said Coffman.

“It really helped me get over my nerves for things like public speaking and even when I went for job interviews,” said junior Ila Greenawalt.

“When I was a student in highschool, it provided a constant challenge and it was great to see students outside of Southmoreland.” said Mrs. Gore. “It allowed me to study college level work that really helped me grow as a musician.”

Many students come out of PMEA honors auditions with a new perspective on life, they decide they want to go on to study music in college. “My freshman year I really had no idea what I wanted to do, but then through practicing for PMEA and going through two auditions really made me want to go to school for music,” Greenawalt.

“There really is something special about Southmoreland,” said Mrs. Gore in regards to the amount of alumni that have attended school for music. “I’ve had 19 students, 16 instrumental and three vocal, go to college to study music. It’s almost like a music bug, but it’s a good bug.”

PMEA requires lots of hard work and some talent but it is a fun, rewarding experience for all who try out.