More than 100 band students from six county schools were recently selected to perform in the Limestone County Honor Band.

“Any time a kid participates in an honor band they become a better player, “ Gary Russell said.

Russell is band director for Clements High School, the host school for the honor band this year. The band will perform at 7 tonight in the gymnasium. The 45-minute concert is free to the public and will include classical, pop and religious music.

Professional recordings of the concert by Spectrum Productions of Decatur will be available for order.

“The honor band is great for students to perform in because it is an opportunity to perform with the best of the best, “ Russell said.

He said the honor band has harder music, first-chair players, promotes bands in the county and shows off the skills that are being taught in each of the county schools.

To be selected for the Limestone County Honor Band, students must be the top players of their particular instrument at their school, Russell said. The students are ranked by chair after sending in an audition tape. Every member of the honor band receives a medal, and first chair or principle players receive a light ribbon.

Honor band directors are also the best of the best.

“Directors for the honor band are selected because they’re someone the kids can learn a lot from,” Russell said.

He selected Terry Ownby as this year’s honor band director.

Ownby is in his 17th year of teaching instrumental music in the Muscle Shoals School system. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in education from the University of North Alabama. He recently was a clinician for the Alabama Music Educators conference in 2005 and the Auburn University Junior High Summer Band Camp in 2006. The Muscle Shoals Middle School Symphonic Band was a featured performer at the Alabama Music Educators Associations 2001 convention. He served as a guest conductor with the Muscle Shoals High School Symphonic band at the Alabama Music Educators Associations 2003 convention.

Ownby is also active as an adjudicator, arranger, marching band drill designer, and he served as the camp coordinator for the W.C. Jazz Music Camp from 1999-2007.

He plays trumpet professionally and has performed with Alabama, Percy Sledge, The Speer Family, William Lee Golden, The Oak Ridge Boys and with the world renowned Muscle Shoals Horn Section.

He is the lead trumpet player for the Shoals Area Big Band, and has also appeared with the Legends of Jazz Big Band for the W.C. Handy Music Festival in 2003 and 2004, the Millennium Big Band for the Huntsville Symphony Association, and on the General Jackson Showboat and is a founding member of the Shoals Dixieland Band.

Ownby currently serves on the Alabama Bandmasters Board of Directors as Chairman of the Alabama Bandmasters District III. He is a four time member of Who’s Who Among Americas Teachers, listed in Who’s Who in America for 2005 and 2006, and was recently nominated for the 2004 Disney Hand Teacher Awards for creativity in teaching.