This Friday, 18 Highland band members will travel to Central DeWitt High School to participate in the 2023 Iowa High School Music Association’s State Large Group Music Festival.

Students playing at this year’s event include, Jordan Brown, Owen Knox, Ethan Krotz, Jack Krotz, Andrew Lana, Joshua Lauer, Greta Piette, Gwen Piette, Ally Pokorny, Ty Powers, Antonio Pulido, Wyatt Richardson, Kealy Roberts, Spencer Tompkin, Keaton Van Schoyck, Bryce Weldon, Gracyn Yoder, and Brayden Zywiec.

Led by Band Director, Andy McDonald, the group will play a 25-minute set beginning at 4:50 p.m. McDonald spoke to KCII about his favorite part of their set list. “There’s a piece I love a lot. It is called Encanto and this piece was written back in 1989 by a composer named Robert W. Smith, but it’s got a little bit of everything in it.”

The Highland Huskies Band has performed in the State Large Group Contest every year since McDonald took his position in 2020.