- Category: District
Pattonville High School senior trumpetist Max McFarland was named the 2023 High School Band Directors National Association (HSBDNA) National Band Student of the Year.
McFarland is the third Pattonville High School student to win a HSBDNA award since 2020. Senior clarinetist Sydney Suvansri was named the 2022 National Band Student of the Year (an award she was a finalist for again this year) and 2020 graduate and percussionist Thomas McFarland was named the 2020 National Marching Band Student of the Year.
Max McFarland is a decorated musician. He has received all-state band honors during his sophomore, junior and senior year and has won several medals at the MSHSAA State Music Festival. He is starting to create some original music and is also a member of world-famous drumming legend Dave Weckl’s STL Big Band Contingent. In middle school, he was the first person in Holman Middle School’s history to earn jazz and concert band all-suburban honors in both 7h and 8th grade.