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PHOTO by KIM STRECKER / STRECKER IMAGES
“ We could always use more students. There’ s never enough kids,” Kenna said. The program has grown through word-ofmouth, area churches and friends of the band. Public school students are also welcome to join...
they just show up at the concert,” Kenna said.“ I do believe that music is for all students who want to do it, so I try to include everyone in the program if they would like to participate.”
Stillwater’ s homeschool band meets from 8:30 a. m. to 4 p. m. every Wednesday at Hillcrest Baptist Church at 902 N. Washington St. Their schedule follows Stillwater Public School’ s calendar year, running rehearsals from mid-August until the second week in December, then starting again in January and ending the second week of May.
The orchestra presents a Fall Concert the first week in October, a Christmas Concert the first weekend in December and a Spring Concert the first week in May. The band has outgrown the stage at the Stillwater Museum at the Sheerar and other venues, so they’ ve had to move to the Winfrey D. Houston Theater at the Stillwater Community Center.
Students also have the opportunity to participate in the Scissortail Honor Orchestra in Norman or the Cimarron Valley Honor Band, Kenna said.
Parents and students alike expressed how much the band has meant to them.
JT Tiner, 18, said playing music with others has helped him grow as a person and a musician.
“ It’ s helped me be nicer and not yell at people when they mess up,” Tiner said.“ I’ ve played the piano for quite a while, and sometimes it gets boring just playing by yourself, so having more people to play with makes it more fun.”
Board member and parent Nicki Rouser plays the French horn with the orchestra, and said the homeschool band has given her family more opportunities outside the home.
“ It gives us something to do as a family and with our other friends,” Rouser said.“ Public school has a lot of things kids can do, and it’ s no fun to play trumpet all by yourself, but to have a group and all of them get to come together is better.”
She said the band and orchestra is unique because students don’ t have restrictions on what age they begin playing, the instrument they choose or their musical level, and the band also welcomes parents and grandparents.
Parent Holly LaFosse has played with the band for 12 years and had a son who also played and later
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 34