Band Notes

By
Ben Scarborough

What an end to a truly awesome week! Last week was the high point of my professional career. I must take the time to thank the Winnsboro High School Band for allowing me to travel with them to this plane of musical performance.

I stepped into this role last October, not knowing how I would be accepted by the students. Of course, I had worked with all of them for several years, but I was not their “leader” and it was not “my” band. It would have been very easy for them to have rejected my efforts at holding things together to make it through the rest of the year. They had been dealt a near fatal blow and I just had no idea how they were going to handle it.

Our band members just don’t do things the easy way. Knowing the kind of uphill battle we faced together, they strapped on responsibility, accepted the difficult technical challenges, and grew quickly into maturity. I remember those first few days when I stepped onto the podium in the band hall and all of their eyes were on me as if to say, “We’re here and ready to go. Are you coming, or what? If so, let’s get on with it!” Well, it’s been one heck of a ride.

First, we went to the UIL Marching Contest and made straight Ones. Two days later, we were at the Area Marching Contest and advanced to 7th place in the finals competition which tied our record. We placed a large number of students in the A-AA Honor Band and the All-Region Band with 4 students advancing to All-Area Band. We had two great Christmas Concerts with difficult music and it even snowed in the auditorium. Next we brought home 22 medals in the UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest and have 12 students going to the State Contest in Austin in May. That is the largest number of students in many years.

As always, our most important and challenging contest is the UIL Concert and Sight-reading Contest. Last week, we went to Gladewater and the students really raised the bar for performance standards. We got straight Ones (the “Superior” rating) from all judges in both events and brought home only the 2nd Sweepstakes Trophy in the history of Winnsboro! And, we did it with the highest ratings ever. The first Sweepstakes was in 2001 but our ratings were actually higher this year. All Ones is something that has never been done in our band program.

Two days later on Friday, as part of the Seasons Spring Music Festival, our band performed in Dallas at the Morton Meyerson Symphony Center, home of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The students walked in awe into the cavernous auditorium known for its beauty and perfect acoustics, and were again awarded with all superior ratings from the judges. At the awards ceremony at Six Flags on Saturday night, the band was presented with that trophy and also with the “Best in Class” trophy for their concert. I just cannot image a better week for our deserving students.

We spent 3 days in the Dallas area and several times, I was approached by hotel managers, restaurant owners and even other directors. They told me how nice and polite our students had been to them and how much they appreciated being treated with respect. We had a wonderful trip without a single problem. I want to thank the entire community for helping to get us there and also the parents who took time from their busy lives to travel with us.

You may ask, “How can we top these events in these last few weeks of school?” Well, I have an idea. Typically at our Spring Concerts, we have about 100 people in the audience in an auditorium that holds over 500. Only a handful of people heard our UIL performance and about 100 heard us perform in the Meyerson. Wouldn’t it be great if we could show our band students how much we appreciate what they have done in representing our community out in the world by packing that auditorium? I know that everybody talks about how great they are doing, but how many will step up and show them that they are supported and appreciated for what they have accomplished for our school and community. Don’t just talk about it, SHOW THEM!

I’d like to share with you some of the UIL judges’ comments. Then you will know why you need to circle May 4 at 7:00 on your calendar and make it a point to come to our Spring Concert. One judge began writing non-stop through our performance as they usually do, then she stopped after her first sentence and just listened to the concert. After we finished playing, this is what she wrote, just as she wrote it:

“Band- What could I possibly say to you or your fine teachers, right now, that could make any more significance than this: Every once in a while a very special moment comes along as a “Judge” –(that person who holds “The Pencil” and has such an impact on our Ratings for that year) That special moment is when a group of young people, taught so very well and mature enough to handle the responsibility of performing TRUE music, all come together. Thank you – for that Super, Special moment that you just gave to us all -- TRUE Music from your fine Band today. I am in AWE of your musical touch to our hearts -- Thank you – that was Beautiful!”

EDITOR"S NOTE: This column first appeared in the Winnsboro News in the April 15th edition, and is reprinted here with the permission of Ben Scarborough.