HCHS band students earn All-State honors
By Jennifer Wimmer
Hancock County High School student Abram DeJarnette has earned second chair alto saxophone in the Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) All-State Jazz Band. HCHS student Miles Price earned seventh chair alto saxophone in the KMEA All-State Concert Band, and HCHS student Andrew Owens earned third chair trombone in the KMEA All-State Concert Band.
These students have achieved the highest individual honor possible for a high school musician. They will represent Hancock County at the annual KMEA conference in Louisville in February 2026.
HCMS/HCHS Band Director Zach Buskill and the staff at Hancock County Schools said they are very proud of the dedication, discipline and passion that these students bring to music.
Price is the first student from Hancock County to be selected for any of the KMEA All-State Bands as a sophomore.
DeJarnette, the son of Zach and Malena DeJarnette, is a senior this year. He scored second in the state on alto saxophone for both concert and jazz bands, preparing for and performing in two separate auditions. He was offered the option to serve as second chair in the Symphonic Band, the top concert ensemble, or as Alto Sax 2 in Jazz 1, the top jazz ensemble.
DeJarnette chose Jazz 1 and became the first student from Hancock County selected for the All-State Jazz Band. He also achieved the highest placement of any student in the program’s history.
As a junior, DeJarnette earned first chair alto saxophone in the KMEA All-State Concert Band and ranked among the top five alto saxophonists statewide, tying with two other students for the third-highest score. He represented Hancock County at the annual KMEA conference in Louisville in February earlier this year.
Since the Hancock County band program was established in 1970, only six other students have been selected for KMEA All-State Bands.
DeJarnette is also drum major for the award-winning HCHS Marching Band, which has advanced to six KMEA state finals since 2019, including each of the past five seasons in Class 2A.
Over the past two seasons, the HCHS Marching Band has continued to raise the bar. In 2024, the Hornets were named KMEA Class 2A West Regional champions in Bowling Green, advanced to state semifinals at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium in Louisville and finished third in Class 2A at state finals.
The 2025 Hornet Band season added another string of major wins. The band earned five contest victories, including Best Color Guard, Best Percussion and Grand Champion among all small-class bands at Twin Lakes Marching Band Contest in Grayson County, and Best Color Guard and Best Percussion at Murray State University’s West Regional quarterfinals in Hopkinsville and received distinguished ratings in every caption, with an overall score of 84.4, at regional competition.
The Hancock County band program, including marching, concert and jazz ensembles, plays a central role in school and community life. Students perform at home football and basketball games, at the annual Veterans Day events, during Christmas parades in Hawesville and Lewisport, and at themed holiday concerts throughout the year.
They also entertain classmates and staff with lunchtime performances and special programs during the school day. The HCHS Jazz and Concert Bands hosted their annual winter concert last week, featuring music that put everyone in attendance in the holiday spirit.
