Noah Lane and David Lane, sophomore, play the Alto Saxophone. Noah said, “I like my instrument, just sometimes it can be very difficult. We have a scales test which is going up through the notes of the instrument, playing chords and knowing what they are. It can be difficult at times, but overall I do enjoy my instrument.”

 David said, ” My instrument can be difficult. It took me three years to become an amateur player. I had to put my time and effort into my practice to get where I am.”

 Noah said, “I like the band, Mr. Bates and my band friends. I always get to hang out with them in class and outside of school, especially at competitions and football games where we get to have some fun all together laughing.” David said, “I enjoy the band, and I do like my instrument, and I would possibly continue playing the alto saxophone in college.”

Mrs. Lane says her children do enjoy the band even though at times it can be time consuming and demanding a lot of effort. She also says they enjoy their instruments of choice which she did not push them towards and says they were motivated on their own to join the band and choose their instruments. While Mrs. Lane did not play during her school years, she still likes to watch her kids Noah and David perform in the band, especially at competitions and football games. She has found the band to be beneficial for both of her kids. “It has given them a good social group to hang out with,” said Mrs. Lane. 

Mr. Bates has been the teacher and director of the band for 15 years in Floyd County Schools. He was in the band in high school and college where he played the alto and sporano saxaphone in his college years. Mr. Bates started to become an architect but soon decided that was not what he wanted to pursue. He changed his major to music at KSU because he had remembered how much fun he had in the band. Once Mr. Bates became a band teacher, he realized that he loves being a part of the process of helping students grow through music both as a person and a musician.