Tahlequah High School Band Director Harvey Price is beginning to sound like a broken record.

“I know we keep saying ‘trip of a lifetime,’” said Price. “But this is the opportunity of a lifetime for these students.”

Price is referring to the fact that nine members of the THS Orange Express have been selected to participate in Oklahoma’s Centennial Band, which includes a trip to the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., in January 2007. Four alternates were also selected from Tahlequah.

Oklahoma’s All-Star Centennial Band was created by the Oklahoma Centennial Commission to provide high school musicians with an opportunity to not only serve as musical ambassadors for the state of Oklahoma, as it celebrates its centennial in 2007, but to also experience a musical educational experience of the highest standard.

According to Charles Jones II, producer of the project, after successfully completing the competitive audition process, those selected will have all of their expenses paid as they learn, grow and entertain hundreds of thousands of individuals during their tenure.

“The band consists of 150 members,” said Price. “Over 500 students statewide competed for slots, 21 from THS. To have nine selected and four alternates was fantastic. We couldn’t be more pleased.”

Price said alternates will be notified by mid-June as to whether a member has declined to participate.

THS students tapped for the band include Marc Wade and Blanche Sumner, snare drum; Brian Tschirhart and Evan Everett, bass drum; Anderson Daniel, mellophone (French horn); Tabitha Jackson, clarinet; Eric Warren, tenor drums; and Jordan Anderson and Daniel Dew, trumpet.

Alternates include Barak Tschirhart, mellophone; Emily Mitchell, flute; and Michael Jones and Dayne Dodson, tuba.

Auditions began in the spring, and rehearsals will follow later this summer, with a camp at the University of Oklahoma, July 24-28. Performances will be in fall 2006 and run throughout Oklahoma’s centennial year, 2007.

Blanche, a sophomore, wanted to try out for the elite band for a number of reasons.

“I figured it would be a great experience, and it would get my name out there,” she said. “After all, [the centennial] only happens every 100 years.”

Blanche’s future plans include attending college to become a music education major – thanks, in part, to band director Josh Allen.

“I plan on attending the University of Arkansas after graduation,” she said. “Mr. Allen helped me decide. He told me there are not enough teachers with a percussion background, and many times students just learn by doing. I figured I’d go out there and save them - teach them how to play percussion!”

Being part of the Oklahoma All-Star Centennial Band is proving beneficial in helping pay for members’ college, as well.