Shoreline CC student chosen for National Honor Band

Adam Byrd selected for
national honor band
Photo by Bruce Cohn

A Shoreline Community College student, Adam Byrd, 22, who plays in the Shoreline Concert Band was chosen from hundreds of nominations from College Band Directors for the Small College National Intercollegiate Honor Band. The Honor Band will perform March 23 in Greensboro, North Carolina at the College Band Directors National Association conference. Director Ken Noreen will be attending the conference, along with Adam.

Says Noreen, "Adam Byrd is an outstanding oboe and English Horn player in our band and this is a real honor for him and the college."

The honor band will rehearse for three days under the direction of Professor Craig Kirchoff, Director of Bands at the University of Minnesota and perform on March 23 for the College Band Directors National Association conference.

“Music has taken me to many parts of the world. I love traveling! However, this is the first time I’ve gone to an out-of-state honor band festival as an individual, and not part of a larger ensemble. It’s really exciting, and I feel that it’s quite fitting that I’m going as a Shoreline CC representative - I actually grew up in Shoreline, and went to Brookside Elementary and Kellogg Middle School before I moved out of the area. Mrs. Laurie Bell, band directors Mr. Dennis Ashbrook and Mr. Alec Wilmart, and orchestra director Mr. Mark Adamo; I still regard these teachers as ‘the ones who started it all.’ So now, with Mr. Ken Noreen at Shoreline Community College, I like to think of this upcoming trip as bringing the circle back together!”

Adam studies at Shoreline Community College and has played the oboe and English horn for over 11 years. He currently plays with several music ensembles, including the Shoreline Concert Band. Adam intends to continue playing, composing, and studying music while learning the art of Instrument Repair at Renton Technical College next year.