‘I’m stoked. I couldn’t be more proud,’- Campbell County High Band Director Adam Wright

Left to right: Jace Huddleston, Noah Campbell, Owen Dial and Braidin Ivey rank among some of the best high school band musicians in all of East Tennessee.

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- Four members of the Campbell County High School Band are among the elite musicians in East Tennessee. In January, Noah Campbell, Owen Dial, Jace Huddleston and Braidin Ivey were a part of some 1,300 auditions at Bearden High School. All four were named All-State East.

The East Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association, ETSBOA, hosts the auditions annually.

Musicians were broken down into two bands, Red and Blue. Freshman Noah Campbell plays trumpet and was tabbed 13th chair of the Red Band. “It feels pretty good, but I have a lot of room to grow. It was worth all the hard work,” said Campbell.

Owen Dial, a freshman, is a percussionist and was chosen for the Blue Band in the 4th chair. “Owen’s the first percussionist from Campbell County to make it into All-State East,” said Adam Wright, Band Director of Campbell County High School. “It feels good to finish this high. I’ve been playing percussion for four years now,” said Dial.

“It’s wonderful kids are pushing themselves plus their instruments. This group worked so hard it’s ridiculous,” said Campbell High Band Director Adam Wright.

Clarinet player and sophomore Jace Huddleston was named as 9th chair of the Blue Band. “It was worth all the practice. I feel really good about it,” said Huddleston.

“Jace qualified for All-State! I’m so proud that he will get to go represent our program at the state-level,” said Tiffany Braden, Band Director. “Jace is the third band member in the history of the school to make it to All-State,” said Wright.

Left to right: Noah Campbell, Owen Dial, Braidin Ivey and Jace Huddleston rank among some of the best high school band musicians in all of East Tennessee.

Senior Braidin Ivey was selected as 2nd chair in the Red Band for playing so well on his tenor saxophone. “It’s definitely exciting and felt good to finish this well. It was worth all the practice time,” said Ivey.

Braidin, Jace, Noah and Owen won their spots by a blind audition in an all day competition at Bearden High School on Saturday, January 18, according to Wright. “They performed for four judges behind a curtain and were judged in three categories,” said the CCHS Band Director, now in his 11th year.

“I am blessed to work with such hard-working students! I am also thankful that our school and district allow our students to participate in these events,” said Tiffany Braden.

“During auditions, they each performed a prepared piece of music, played five memorized scales, and did sight reading (seeing a piece of music they hadn’t seen before for thirty-seconds and then playing it),” said Wright. Scores were tabulated to a number in a classroom using laptops, according to Wright.

A lot of hard work takes place behind these doors.

“I could not be more proud of these students. I’ve been working with these kids for a year now and they truly never fail to amaze me! Not only are they clearly good musicians, they are good people, too,” said Braden.

“It’s wonderful kids are pushing themselves plus their instruments. This group worked so hard it’s ridiculous,” said Wright.

A NOTE FROM THE GRAND ON CENTRAL: “There is so much good going on in our community, and I want to share all this good with you every Monday here on WLAF in hopes that you will start your week in a grand way making each week a Grand Week,” said Olivia Lobertini, owner of The Grand on Central.

Below, take a visit through The Grand on Central.

For bookings, email Olivia Lobertini at ohlobertini03@gmail.com. Check on avails HERE. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 02/03/2025-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)

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