Every day, students at State High can be seen lugging musical instruments in their cases across Westerly Parkway to and from their orchestra and band class periods.  Members of the bands and orchestras currently have their practices in the old auto shop room, but this may soon change.

The current band room sits in the back of the North building, next to the fitness center, comparatively far from the rest of the school. Principal Curtis Johnson said, “With half classes, crossing time [means that students are] going for 30 minutes over there.”  This loss of instruction time, combined with the excessive heat and humidity of the fall has caused administrators to look for a solution. The uncomfortable conditions of the location have also caused problems with the instruments. When musical instruments get too hot or cold, their sound is warped and they become out of tune.  According to the original State High Project plan, the music and performance spaces were set to be completed for the summer of 2019. Administrators met with the band and orchestra directors, music booster club parents, and librarians to find a new solution. The decision was to make the new library, still under construction, into a temporary band room.  Sound is also a concern for district officials facilitating the move.

“As long as the location benefits the sound of the band, I think it will be good,” sophomore Dorothy Tan said.  

Dr. Stout, Assistant Superintendent of State College Area School District, said, “One of the concerns we had with the band in the library is that the library is not built to have an exorbitant amount of sound, but we ran some tests in there just to make sure that the sound wouldn’t be too much that it would go out and disturb classes that were taking place.”  According to Stout, the main goal of this move is “trying to get as many kids as possible in the new building all day long.” Some finishing touches still need to be applied to the library space before music students can officially move in. As of now, the move is set for after the holiday break, the same time as students officially moved into the new South building last school year.