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SW bands earn sweepstakes ratings |
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Written by Staff Reports
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Friday, 18 April 2008 |
Sweetwater’s high school and middle school bands recently traveled to Cooper High School in Abilene to compete in the Region 16 UIL music concert and sightreading contest.
The bands spent weeks preparing three pieces to perform for the judges during the concert portion of the contest.
The Sweetwater High School Band earned a superior Division 1 rating on stage. The judges’ comments included the following:
Greg Miller, concert adjudicator: “Very good sounds, good balance and tuning. I enjoyed your performance today!”
Rob Hartman, band director from Anson High School: “This was a very musical performance and enjoyable to listen to. Your school and community should be very proud of you!”
During the sightreading portion of the contest, the band is given a piece of music it has never seen before and the director is given seven minutes to explain the piece of music. Immediately following that period, the band must perform it for the judges. The SHS band received a superior Division 1 rating in sightreading as well. These two ratings, along with its superior Division 1 rating at the UIL marching contest in October, earned the band its first sweepstakes award since 2002.
“I am so proud of the hard work and commitment these students have put into this program in the last couple of years. We have all worked very hard to get to this level!” said SHS band director Steven Nazworth.
The Sweetwater Middle School seventh and eighth grade band also competed in UIL concert and sightreading contest and for the first time since 2001, it also received a sweepstakes trophy by earning superior Division 1 ratings in the concert portion of the contest as well as the sightreading portion.
Concert judge Rob Hartman of Anson said, “This is a very good group playing a challenging program. I hope you continue to improve and contribute to your great band program!”
Judge Rocky Harris of Big Spring said of the middle school band, “You understand your music and your parts very well. You are well taught! Congrats on a great performance!”
“These students have worked very hard for this competition and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results!” said SMS dir-ector Lynette Huck. She also said that this year’s sightreading was one of the more difficult the band has had to read in years and that Sweetwater was one of just two middle school bands receiving perfect scores at the contest.
The SMS band has seen tremendous growth over the past couple of years. In 2004, it consisted of approximately 33 students but now boasts 100 members.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 19 April 2008 )
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