West Senior Earns Spot on All-National Band

Central Bucks West senior Nicholas Hall has won a seat on the National Association for Music Educators All-National Honors Concert Band and will play this fall at Gaylord Opryland.

He is the first musician from the school to earn the honor.

Hall, a flutist who performs with the C.B. West Marching Bucks, the Jazz 1 Ensemble, and Symphonic Band, is one of 150 student musicians chosen from across the country to perform at the NAfME conference in Nashville, Tenn. on Oct. 30.

The NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles represent the top-performing high school musicians in the United States, West Music Director Neil Delson said. 

All-Nationals is the culmination of two years of competitions, starting with Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District, Regional, and State auditions and concerts. 

A four-year member of the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County, Hall was recently chosen to perform as a soloist for YOBC's fall concert on Nov. 24.

The Doylestown native also serves as a drum major for the Marching Bucks and performs with Quakertown Community Band. He studies with composer and flutist Cathy Block.

Delson said that is the first time in West's school history a student musician reached the national ensemble level. Delson himself is a quarterfinalist for the first-ever Music Educator Grammy.

The ensembles are made up of selected high school students who are recommended by their state presidents, and endorsed by their school principals and music directors.