A variety of high school bands traveled as far as 100 miles to LHS April 25 for the annual District Festival.
Groups came from the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley as well as schools including Moscow, Grangeville,Genesee, Clearwater Valley, Orofino and Deary.
“The performance was good, but the band lacked focus,” said Brendan Burns, the LHS band director. He thinks this occurred because it was the group’s first time hosting and the excitement got to them.
“Overall, the festival was good. It ran smooth, the band was respectful to the incoming bands, and there was no complaints,” said Burns.
The LHS band members also participated at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival earlier in February in Moscow. It was well-organized and very competitive, its musicians agreed.
“It was definitely a learning experience,” said Sydney Inman, an LHS sophomore.
The only difficulty that the festival brought to Lewiston High musicians was the size of the hall where the band performed, they said.
“We weren’t prepared for that kind of hall. It was like a mock courtroom,” said junior Chloe Nielson.
This spring seniors finish their third year in LHS band along with Burns, who started teaching here in 2014.
“He has really come a long way in the past couple of years,” said senior Orion White. “He has brought the band together and has found a way to bring out everyone’s strengths. I’m really looking forward to see what he will do in the future.”