Every year, Langley students audition for a place in the prestigious VBODA District 12 for the All-District Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band. This year, over 2,100 high school students from all over Fairfax and Arlington Counties competed, with Langley earning 22 spots.

“These are amazing achievements for the students involved,” said Band Director Andrew Gekoskie. “They worked very, very hard to achieve this honor.”

Cliff Crawford, Jeffrey Principe, Adele Wheele, Dana Rosenburg, Ben Parker, Paul Bernstein, Samantha Clark, Matt Arnold, David Kim, Leah Surratt, Andrew Workman, Liana Kramer and Laura Evans were admitted into the symphonic band, while David Parker, Sae Hashimoto, Craig Hunter, Jason Cui, Laura Grems were admitted into the wind ensemble.

In preparation, many students dedicate numerous hours of their time in hopes of achieving this recognition.

“It’s extremely competitive, and I have practiced since September for this event,” said junior Dana Rosenberg, who received a spot as a clarinet player in the Symphonic Band. “It separates the people who go above and beyond from everyone else. ”

With a school record breaking 22 students gaining admission into the program, Langley has raised the bar for future competitions.

“It really shows that we have a lot of talented musicians at Langley that set us apart from the rest,” said junior Sun Park.

“It is such an honor to be selected,” added Rosenberg. “After diligently practicing for so long, my work is definitely paying off.”