Spring 2006
It was another year of strong
development for the concert band. The group entered MICCA and was judged
this April as silver medal winners, after the previous year, when they
went for comments only. Many of the students participating in concert
band have gone on to the symphony band, while others seem to enjoy the
lesser demands placed upon this group. Meanwhile the symphony band
maintained or exceeded the quality of last year’s landmark season, at
the Bands of America National Concert Band festival in
Indianapolis
. They provided another stellar performance at MICCA, earning their
eighth consecutive invitation to perform at Symphony Hall, in
Boston
, via a gold medal. This unprecedented run at Symphony Hall is a
testament to the students’ commitment to making music a passionate and
meaningful experience in their lives.
Part of great musicianship is the
ability to read music on sight. The bands quickly learned new music
after the Pops for their last concert of the school year, the Spring
Concert. This is a clear indication that the students and the program
are doing it the right way. They performed a grand style of literature
at the concert, including 7 pieces, all at the highest level of difficulty.
With an amazing crop of graduating seniors, the band took no
prisoners. When they took the stage, it was time for the audience and
the performers to engage themselves in an emotional moment from
beginning to end.
The
symphony band performs about seven times a year, including three pops
concerts, a spring concert, the MICCA festival, Symphony Hall, and
graduation. Symphony Band is accessed through auditions held in late
February. Next year’s symphony band audition piece will be the same
one that will be used for auditions in the Southeast Regional District
competitions.
