Nacogdoches High School bari saxophone player and Band President Jamal Brown is a dedicated leader and musician within the NHS Band, and those two traits, along with countless hours of practicing, have earned him a chair in the 6A Texas All-State Band.
According to a NHS press release, Brown attended Area E auditions at Berkner High School in Richardson, TX on January 9 and advanced to the state level.
Preparations began in early August when three musical selections for each instrument were distributed to high school students across the state. “They work diligently for the first phase of the audition process, which is the region level,” said band director Glynn Wells. In December, Brown and 17 other NHS band members earned a spot in the All-Region Band, which is composed of schools from Longview down to Lufkin. Students who placed high at the region level received Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Area Honors and advanced to area auditions, which took place in January.

Brown will know his exact placement in the All-Region Band once he auditions for the last time at the TMEA Convention in San Antonio. The All-State Bands will perform in concert at the convention February 13 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

Aside from being a musician, Brown serves as NHS Band President, a job with many responsibilities, according to Wells. Brown and his officers work with the band boosters to organize and host fundraisers and activities for the band.

“Jamal is an extremely talented musician,” Wells said. “But moreso, he is an extremely hardworking and humble young man.” Wells went on to conclude that Brown is a great role model and that students respect his “leadership, skill, honesty and sense of humor.”

The All-State Bands will perform in concert at the TMEA Convention on February 13 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

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