For trumpet player Della Smithson, now a junior at West Limestone High School, earning third chair at the All-State Band competition in Montgomery earlier this year was a victory well-earned.

Della’s journey to the elite, or red, All-State Band started when she first picked up a trumpet in the sixth grade.

Her dad, Brian Smithson, said she was a natural from the beginning and never had to be reminded to practice.

“Matter of fact, she would come home from band camp or practice and say ‘Dad, can you handle it if I practice for a couple of more hours?’” Brian said.

Her talent grew exponentially so by the time she entered high school she had already attracted the attention of then assistant band director Davin Kyle, who encouraged her and Jacob Russel to compete as soloists in the Alabama Bandmaster Association’s district competition in Huntsville. Jacob also earned a place on the red All-State Band.

She said she failed miserably the first year she competed, missing many of the scales in her test piece.

“For the next year, that’s all I heard,” Brian said. “Scales, scales and more scales.”

During the 2016-2017 school year, she did much better, making it into the white division of the All-State Band. This year, she performed even better at the district level, earning second chair, which earned her a spot in the red All-State Band.

The state is divided into eight districts and the top six competitors for each instrument are automatically named to the All-State Band. The red division is reserved for those who earn first- and second-chair musicians at the district level. Those who place third and fourth are placed in the white band and those who place fifth and sixth perform in the blue band. This year’s state competition took place the third weekend in April.

On the first day, Della and hundreds of other top musicians from across the state vied for top chairs in their divisions. After performing two prepared pieces, one technical and one lyrical, Della played a surprise piece that tested her site reading abilities; she placed third.

“It was very nerve-racking but once you get in there you just do it,” Della said. “I didn’t feel like I did so great because I made plenty of mistakes, but it turned out I did okay.”

“It’s a big accomplishment for a 10th grader,” said her dad, who was by her side during the entire state competition.

“These kids take on these solo competitions on their own,” Brian said. “It takes a lot of nerve but it also tests their talent.”

At the close of the competition, the All-State bands come together for a Saturday performance at the Alabama State University Acadome.

“They put on a concert that you would not believe was made up of high school students,” Brian said. “I was blown away.”

Only a week into this school year, Della is already working on mastering the required pieces to make it to next year’s state honors band.

“If I work hard enough, I could earn first chair,” she said.

Additional 2018 All-State Band competitors from Limestone County include:

• West Limestone High — Jacob Russel, trombone, red band; Dylan Mashburn, trombone, blue band; and Addison Holt, flute, white band;

• Ardmore High — Andrew Wynn, trumpet, white band; and Gracie Collins, saxophone, blue band;

• Athens High — John Diaz, alto saxophone, white band; and Luke Haymon, percussion, white band;

• East Limestone Middle School — Maisie Irvin, saxophone, and Cameron Franklin, trumpet, made the All-State Middle School Band.