The music flowing throughout the school musical “Hello, Dolly!”  this past weekend wasn’t a recording.

The melodic sounds came from band and orchestra students, led by band director Carol Allen, who prepared for more than a month.

In a small area in front of the stage, musicians accompanied the actors with pieces such as “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” and the title song, “Hello, Dolly!”

Being in the pit orchestra is fun, but strenuous, especially during the final rehearsals of tech week before the play opened, according to senior Shelbe Spurlock and sophomore Kevin Baylen.

“The practices were good, and I enjoyed playing,”  said Baylen, who plays flute.  “But tech week was very tiring.”

“I lost a lot of sleep,” Spurlock said. “Finishing my homework was a challenge.”

But even with less sleep and late nights, Baylen and Spurlock said they still had fun participating in the pit orchestra, which is made up of students who play a variety of instruments, including strings, percussion, woodwinds and brass.

“The best part was getting to hang out with all my friends,” Spurlock said.

“I liked hanging out with the people in the pit most of all,” Baylen said.

Robert Edmiston, a senior,  said he became a bit frustrated with his fall musical experience.

“It was fun,” Edmiston said, “but I felt like some of the people weren’t as committed towards the end of the rehearsals.”

The Sunday matinee ended the ‘Hello, Dolly!’ run. Next up for the pit orchestra is the spring high school musical, ‘Seussical’.

By Katie Garwood