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For a few hours Thursday night, Seaman High rocked its way into a glimpse of what normal could feel like again. At the school s annual Battle of the Bands, three student groups and one teacher ensemble jammed to an auditorium still only half full with social distancing requirements. While audience and band members alike wore masks, the singers at least had the chance to slip down their masks while they sang. Still, the booming drums and guitar strums were a short, if loud, distraction from a difficult year of what-could-have-been in all of the missed school experiences, and even a quick glimpse into the what-will-be as the community, if still facing the real threat of the coronavirus, finally seems to have made it past the worst of the pandemic. ....
Practice, practice, practice. It is an old saying Washburn Rural High School music dean and band director Luke Chaffee says has always applied to students honing their musical skills, but it is also one that has taken on greater importance in a school year where in-person activities, like traditional band or choir practices, have been all but impossible. That is what makes this year’s slate of All-State music ensemble student honorees that much more impressive, Chaffee said. The Kansas Music Educators Association named over two dozen Shawnee County students as All-State ensemble members or alternates of their respective choir, band and orchestra groups. They will perform this weekend in a one-of-a-kind, virtual gathering of some of the Kansas schools’ best musical talent. ....