Hannah Mondragon Plays at State Band
Article by Sarah Thompson
On January 11, one of Osage City’s own qualified for state in band. Sophomore Hannah Mondragon, against thousands of other talented teens, rose up the rankings and secured the fourth chair spot for bass clarinet in state band.
Mondragon had to pass two auditions to qualify for district band and then had to qualify again for state. For her chosen instrument, bass clarinet, there were only four chairs, and Mondragon was lucky enough to take the last chair. Making state in anything is a great accomplishment and those talented enough to make it should feel incredibly honored. Mondragon now knows that one-of-kind feeling, and she also knows all the efforts and sacrifices she’s made paid off. “I enjoyed it so much that even after a six hour rehearsal, I would want to keep playing for a couple more to improve,” she gushes. “There were so many opportunities I never thought I would get to experience,” she adds.
But everything depends on how she thinks she did, if her best effort was given. “I did a lot better than I was expecting, because I thought I wouldn’t reach the standards they have at state. I actually ended up reaching my goals and achieving what I thought was the impossible,” says Mondragon. The end result was Mondragon getting to play at state band, which was held February 26-28 in Wichita.
The PowWow of Osage City High School 