18 orchestra students traveled to Hutchinson for the Western Kansas Orchestra Festival on Nov. 18 and 19.
The purpose of the festival was for students to be able to have the chance to play with a larger orchestra than normal and work under a different festival conductor. There was 450 students, divided into two middle school and two high school orchestras.
They rehearsed for two days and then gave a concert on Saturday night.
“The students had fun at the hotel later Friday night swimming and hanging out together,” Orchestra director Joan Crull said.
Schools in attendance were Beloit, Great Bend, Garden City, Dodge City, Salina, Hutchinson, Colby and Hays.
Hays students in attendance were Ashley Smith, Hans Rorstrom, Zach Brungardt, Sarah Vine, Shayla Cochran, Christopher Rooney, Nick Nolte, Audrey Jones, Jessalyn Allen, Tristan Callis, Rachel Kreutzer, Brittany Mills, Maxine Moore, Austin Petz, Sarah Rooney, Colby Custer and River Moreno.
Christopher Rooney was first chair, and Nick Nolte and Austin Petz both were second chair.