This year, The Harker School has two students accepted into the junior high All-State Band: Cynthia Hao and Kristen Park, both grade 8. David Hart, instrumental music teacher for grades 6-8, said “Hao made it into the Concert Band while Park made the highest group, the Symphonic Band.” Having two students accepted to the All-State Band is a Harker first, as is having a student in the Symphonic Band. “It is very exciting,” Hart said.

For the last 52 years, the California Band Directors Association (CBDA) has hosted the California All-State Honor Bands. Once each year, the CBDA conducts auditions, which are held all across the state of California, and the highest caliber students from both junior high and high school are chosen to make up the All-State Honor Bands.