The Grand Band from Eagle Land earned straight ones at the UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest at Groesbeck High School on Wednesday, March 5.
“We are extremely excited for the band,” Band Director Russell Holland said. “They have worked really hard this year.”
The varsity received straight 1s in both concert and sightreading as the non-varsity earned two 2s and a 1 in concert and straight 1s in sightreading.
“Since the band got a first division in marching season, the combination of marching and concert ones makes it a Sweepstakes,” Holland said. “This is the third consecutive sweepstakes over the last three years.”
Concert and sightreading contest consists of a prepared music section which is any march of the band director’s choosing and two songs of the PML (prescribed music list) of appropriate difficulty. The students then have seven minutes to learn how to play a brand new song that was composed in secret in front of a panel of three judges. It was an intense ordeal and the students performed well in all sections.
The varsity band performed Manhattan Beach (Sousa/Balent), Brave Spirit (Standridge), and Byzantine Dances (Chambers).
The non-varsity band performed Legacy March (Hodges), Dragon Run (Bernotas), and Heroes Triumphant (Owens).
The spring concerts will be held May 12-13 and are open to the public. The high school and eight grade bands will perform on May 12 as the sixth and seventh grade bands as well as the jazz band will perform on May 13. The State Solo and Ensemble contest will be held on Memorial Day.
“Come out and see our bands perform for the last time this school year,” Holland said.
