Maryville High School band selected to perform at all-state conference

Maryville High School band selected to perform at all-state conference 

By: Shanon Adame 

Daily Times 

August 12, 2025 

Maryville High School band students got a big surprise on Tuesday, Aug. 5, as they sat in their band room, instruments at the ready. 

Principal Heather Hilton stood before the students to deliver some good news: the band had been selected as a conference performing ensemble for the 67th Annual Tennessee Music Educators’ Association Professional Development Conference. Students erupted in cheers, applause and high-fives, some looking shocked, others with big smiles. 

“You are incredible musicians who represent our school and this community with pride and passion, on Friday nights, on Saturday marching competitions and throughout every single part of the concert season,” Hilton told the students. 

Hilton told the students that their band director, Jonathan Leichman, had submitted recordings of the band’s past performances over the last two years to the TMEA committee, unbeknownst to the students. 

She went on to describe the competition as “fierce,” telling the students they were “vying against every other ensemble across the state.” 

The students will travel to the Opryland Convention Center in April to perform at the four-day conference. 

“This honor is one of the highest recognitions a school music ensemble can receive in our state, the selection process is highly competitive, with ensembles from across Tennessee submitting applications for consideration,” Leichman wrote in an email. 

Drum Majors Noah Jackson and Laura Robbins talked about what an accomplishment it was to be selected. 

“Every year, they have a guest band that’s either a high school band or a collegiate band, and you submit recordings to be in that. And our concert assessment music last year was so good that they let us be a part of that, which is awesome,” Jackson explained. 

“I was so shocked, but I was so proud of the band; it really is such a high honor. It’s not something you get to do every day,” Robbins added.