The Luverne Middle School Band has been selected to perform at the 2002 Minnesota Music Educators State Convention in February.
Mary Goheen, director of the band, submitted a recording of last year's 7th and 8th grade band to the MMEA committee early last spring.
"I never expected to be accepted the first time we applied," Goheen said. "Last spring the middle school band attended the Brandon Band Festival and received a recording of their performance. When my husband heard our recording he was very impressed and suggested that I apply for the convention. I knew that the quality of this year's band would equal that of last year's, so I went ahead and sent in the tape. I received word in June that we had been accepted and tried to keep it quiet until I was able to tell all the band students the first week of school."
The acceptance letter stated that more than 60 bands had applied to play at the 2002 convention, and Luverne was selected to be one of the three middle school bands to perform. The concert will be on Feb. 14, 2002, in the Minneapolis Convention Center.
"I am hoping that most of our parents are there to hear and see what a great experience this is for the students," Goheen said. "Band, choir and orchestra directors from all over the state attend the concerts, and it would be wonderful to see parents, administrators and school board members sitting in the audience as well."
In preparation for the MMEA concert the middle school band will give a separate concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, in the Little Theater rather than with the high school band on Jan. 7.