Music bellowed through the halls of Bellows Free Academy on Friday, Jan 23 and 24.

Students from all of the high schools north-western Vermont came together those two days to practice and prepare several pieces to play for the crowd.

However, each student had to go through a long and nerve-wracking process to reach this point.

“Students audition for the festival, and they are chosen for either the chorus, the wind ensemble, or the concert band,” Eric Bushey, the band director and head of the Music Department, said.

For those who made it past auditions, music was given to work on to practice so that when the bands were to meet, it would not be a disorganized mess the first time around.

By giving students the music in advance, this ensures an easier and faster practice time.

BFA being the location of the festival was somewhat of a rare occasion: “The festival is hosted at the end of January on a rotating basis between MMU, Enosburg, and BFA St. Albans. We’re not going to host another festival at BFA for another three years,” Bushey said.

BFA will have to wait three years before next hosting the district festival…