Wheatland musicians make all state

WHEATLAND — Two Wheatland High School students are participating in this year’s Wyoming All State Marching Band, which will take part in the Dunkin Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade to be aired on ABC television Nov. 22.
Colby Beaman and Matthew Wilhelm are two of four Wheatland High School students who applied to the Wyoming All State Marching Band, which comprises 160 students from across the state. Beaman, a junior, and Wilhelm, a senior, are the first two WHS students chosen for WASMB since 2011.
Colby’s mother, Christina Beaman, said during a telephone interview Thursday that the marching musicians must memorize all of their music.
“And they sound amazing, oh my gosh … they are good,” Beaman said. “These guys are amazing. I was just floored. Everybody who heard them in Cheyenne were just hootin’ and hollerin’. I’ve never seen people react to a marching band like that.”

Beaman said WASMB played in parades at the Cody Stampede on July 3 and 4, Sheridan on July 13, Cheyenne Frontier Days on July 21 and Rock Springs last Saturday. She said the final parade for this year’s WASMB is the Dunkin Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia on Nov. 22.
 “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these kids,” Christina Beaman said.
Beaman said the Thanksgiving parade will be the longest march at about 3-4 miles, and the musicians have to march the whole thing. She said so far, the longest they have marched was 2 miles in Cody.
Beaman said the band members will have a chance to visit New York City during their trip. She anticipates the trip will take the entire week of Thanksgiving.
Beaman also said Colby will tour 16 cities in Europe next summer as part of Wyoming Ambassadors of Music, which is open by invitation only.
“The ones who show the passion are the ones the band directors pick” for Wyoming Ambassadors of Music, Beaman said.