The Mississippi Lions All-Star Band took to the streets of Ellisville near Jones Co. Junior College Thursday as the group prepares for international competition. Approximately 146 students from high schools throughout Mississippi comprise this year’s band, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2009.

Jeff Cannon, director of the Mississippi Lions band, said more than 900 students tried out this year for the prestigious group. The band has a long record of excellence in international competition, winning the event 25 times. Those wins include a string of five contests from 2003-2007. The 2008 Mississippi Lions All-Star Band did not participate in the international competition last year due to distance and cost, opting to perform in Washington, D.C., instead.

Cannon said this year’s group plans to continue the winning tradition and make Mississippi proud.

“The Lions of Mississippi believe they do two things great — the eye bank and the Lions Band, not necessarily in that order,” Cannon said. “This year, we’re particularly honored to have Allen Grace of Hattiesburg as our drum major. He’s the first student from Hattiesburg public schools to make the band in 16 years, and the first ever drum major from that district.”

The competition will take place this coming Tuesday, July 7 in Minneapolis, Minn., the site of the Lions International Convention. Cannon said the trip will include fun stops for the students in Chicago, the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., a paddle boat tour of Minneapolis and a Minnesota Twins-New York Yankees baseball game.

The full band lineup includes: a drum major; dancers; color guard; flutes; oboes; bassoons; clarinets; bass and contrabass clarinets; tenor and baritone saxophones; trumpets; French horns; trombones; baritones; tubas; snare and tenor drums; and mallets.

The Pine Belt region is well represented in the group with over 32 students from Ellisville, Hattiesburg, Laurel, Purvis, Moselle, Seminary, Waynesboro and Wiggins. Several of them including Andrew Adams of South Jones High School, and Brittany Trotter of Laurel High School, have been in the band all four years.

Trotter, a flutist, said participating each year has meant a lot to her. “Being in the band each year means excellence and putting your best foot forward,” Trotter said, noting she will continue her training as a music education major at the University of Southern Mississippi in the fall.

Adams, who plays the euphonium, said his involvement has required lots of hard work, but adds it was worth it. “Even when everything’s pushing down on you, you have to work hard to achieve excellence,” he said. “The band means showing what you’re truly made of.”

In addition to the international competition, the Mississippi Lions All-Star Band will provide a free concert at 7 p.m. tonight in the Jones Co. Junior College Fine Arts auditorium.