Students from band recently participated in the Metro West All-Conference Music Festival, providing those students who attended a chance to work with professionals, according to band teacher Steve Schmitz.

According to the Metro West Conference, the All-Conference Music Festival includes performances by bands, choirs and orchestras of the conference.

This year, the festival took place Sept. 28 at Chanhassen High School.

Schmitz said the Park band performed well this year, an especially significant feat because the All-Conference Music Festival occurred earlier than it had in previous years.

“All the groups were significantly stronger than last year, even though the event was held in the fall and not the winter,” Schmitz said.

Freshman Sidney Hosfield said participation in the All-Conference band shows the quality of Park’s program.

“I think this is proof that our school band is really talented,” Hosfield said.

Schmitz said he loves participating in the All-Conference band because of the resources available to students.

“The band students got to work with Dr. Tim Mahr, director of bands at St. Olaf college,” Schmitz said. “He is a sought-after conductor around the United States.”

Junior Nick Kasic, who played tuba in the All-Conference band, found working with Dr. Mahr to be a very educational experience.

“Mahr was very experienced and he was a very talented conductor,” Kasic said. “He taught me a lot.”