Mr Lawhorne, St. Louis High School band director, teaches an after-school steel band every Wednesday from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m..
This helps students build skills and also gives them something to do after school. This always happens at the SLHS band room. The first session is for a mix of high schoolers and middle schoolers while the second session is for high school only.
Gracie Lombard, an SLHS senior, says, “I love going to after school steel band because it’s full of people who are excited to be there and play and have fun.”
Steel band has almost 70 people in total, which includes seventh and eighth graders and high school students. There’s also a variety of different instruments to play, so students don’t have to only play a steel pan. They can choose to play any type of percussion instrument.
The only downfall is that there are no sessions when the school has a half day. The only sessions on half days are the high school steel band.
There are also community steel bands. This includes parents, teachers, and people who live in St. Louis. There are also people who come from Ithaca and Alma. They are included in a lot of steel band concerts.
Mr. Lawhorne says, “Playing in a steel band helps all participants become better musicians through complex layered rhythms, counting, and listening.” He also says, “We have a strong freshmen group of musicians in all bands this year… very excited for the next few years.”
Steel band can help all students who participate with skill, communication, and rhythm. For the next few years, the steel band will continue to thrive.
