The Grant Union honor band members, from left, are Sierra Cates (trumpet), Carle Wright (bass clarinet), Samantha Floyd (bassoon) and Alyssa Hoffman (French horn).

Four Grant Union band members and three choir members performed at the Nov. 7 District 6 Oregon Music Educators Association honor band and choir concert at Pendleton High School.

The musicians were among over 100 students from 18 schools, including Pendleton, La Grande, Baker and others, participating in two days of practice and a grand finale concert.

“I was moved to tears, not just because my students were performing but because of the quality of music they performed,” said Grant Union music director Lori Hart, who chaperoned the students.

Honor band members included Sierra Cates on trumpet, Carle Wright on bass clarinet, Samantha Floyd on bassoon and Alyssa Hoffman on French horn.

Honor choir members included alto Erika Dickens, tenor Will Carpenter and alto Emilie Updegrave.

The high schoolers studied under directors Patrick Winters for band and Reginald Unterseher for choir.

Winters is a retired Eastern Washington University band director who has also worked with professional bands.

Unterseher is a choral composer and clinician who travels the globe working with various choirs, including Germany later this month.

Students were nominated by their teachers then chosen based on the number of instruments and choral parts the directors needed.

Hart said the student musicians received their music the week before the concert.

“It was amazing, the work they did,” she said.