Emma Fischer|feature editor

Out of the thousands of bands around the country, the Johnson band was selected to perform in Chicago at an event they call, “Midwest.”

“Midwest is such a big deal. We’ve never went before. Not a lot of people get chosen. It means that the band is super good,” junior Emma Stoddard said.

Stoddard, a bassoon player in the Johnson Wind Ensemble, cannot wait to go to Midwest in the coming school year.

“I’m excited. I love to travel. I would love to go somewhere with the band that I had never been before. They are kind of like my brothers and sisters, like family. It will be fun and very awesome,” Stoddard said.

Although Johnson is not the only band performing, the select bands chosen are slim.

“It’s such a huge honor to be chosen. Only five high school bands in the country are going, which means it’s a pretty big deal that we’re getting to go. It’s really hard to get in,” freshman Tate Bracy said.

Bracy is an oboe player in the Johnson Symphony Winds. Isabella Perez is a freshman in the Johnson Wind Ensemble and cannot stress enough how happy she is to go to Midwest her sophomore year.

“I am excited to go. I think it will be really fun. It will be a great experience for me and the band,” Perez said.

The chance will not come again any time soon, so the band will make the most of it.

“It’s a huge honor and opportunity,” Perez said.