USD Symphonic Band hosts local clinic
The University of South Dakota’s top concert band made a stop in Sioux City Thursday morning.
USD’s Symphonic Band and its directors put on a clinic for nearly 300 local band students from Sioux City’s public high schools at West High School.
East, West and North High’s bands each performed for the college musicians, who then gave them tips to improve their playing.
Eric Elker the head band director at West High told us, “they get to once again get that interaction with those other students from a more experienced group and faculty on their own instrument that they can get pointers here and there on their specific instrument that they don’t normally get.”
This was the first time USD’s band has done a clinic like this in Sioux City and both sides say it was an exciting experience.
“Hearing the bands play is just so exciting. Our goal is to continue to educate more and more students about high-quality band music and we want the high school students in Sioux City to hear what collegiate bands sound like,” said Dr. Larry Schou, dean of the College of Fine Arts at USD.
Thes stop was part of USD’s annual band tour, which will end Friday with a performance at the South Dakota Bandmasters Competition.