COTTONWOOD — Students from Lakeview Schools will be performing with other young musicians from around the region, at a couple of upcoming events this winter.

Last week, the Lakeview band department announced that a total of 11 students in grades 7-12 were selected to be part of the Southwest Minnesota Band Directors Association Honor Band. Additionally, three Lakeview High School students, Marisa Jacoby, Trinity Javens and Jackson Forslund were selected to be part of the South Dakota State University Honor Band.

It was exciting to see all three students who auditioned for the SDSU Honor Band be selected, said Lakeview band teacher Brett Jacobson.

“I think they’re looking forward to it,” Jacobson said.

Being part of an honor band is a chance for music students to learn and perform together. Programs like the SDSU Honor Band Festival also include opportunities for high school seniors to audition for scholarships.

The SMBDA Honor Band program will be held in January, and the SDSU Honor Band Festival will be in February.

Jacobson said the path to being chosen for Honor Bands started with nomination forms. “I asked students who were interested,” he said. It was positive to see students take an interest in being part of the SMBDA Honor Band.

“It’s exciting to have kids that want to do it,” he said.

The group of students selected to the SWMBDA Honor Band includes grade 7 student Brayton VanHecke; grade 8 students Addison Boe, Charlotte Hansen and Tristynn Justesen; grad 9 student Gaige Keleher; grade 10 student Katelyn Basel; grade 11 students Allison Isaacs, Trinity Javens and Thane Matthys; and grade 10 students Marisa Jacoby and Kiannalee Olson.

The selection process for the SDSU Honor Band was a little more involved, Jacobson said. In addition to being nominated, students needed to submit an audition, including a recording of them playing scales and a prepared solo on their instrument.

“That one was definitely harder to get into,” because auditions were open to students from other states as well, Jacobson said. It was exciting to see that all three Lakeview students who auditioned made it into the Honor Band, he said.

Jacobson said he hoped that being part of Honor Band programs would be a chance for Lakeview music students to succeed and build confidence, as well as to help build up interest in music.

“My hope is, the kids have a good time, and come back and have positive comments,” he said.