Waynesville High School Band and Choir Preparing for Contest

The Waynesville High School Concert Band has been preparing three pieces since early January—Swashbuckler’s March by Rob Romeyn, Armenian Rhapsody by Johnnie Vinson, and Spirit of the Winds by Robert W. Smith.  Likewise, the choir has been working on music to take to contest. 

Our musicians have been working very hard to polish the music, and on Friday, March 13, both the Waynesville High School Concert Band and the High School Choir will be taking the stage in hopes of earning a Superior rating (I) at the OMEA District 13 Large Group Adjudicated Event.  This annual contest gives area bands and choirs the opportunity to polish three pieces of music then perform in front of three judges, who rate the performance on tone, intonation, interpretation and technique. 

The judges then award a score of I through V, with I being Superior, II Excellent, etc.  After the ensemble’s performance on stage, they are then directed to the sight-reading room where music that has never been seen before is passed out to the group.  The students and director are given four minutes to look over the music silently, and an additional four minutes for the director to talk the students through the piece.  After that, the ensemble then plays or sings the piece of music, trying to perform it with as few errors as possible.  The sight-reading judge then awards the group a rating as well, and all four judges’ ratings are added together.  If the combined scores are between 4 and 6, the band receives a Superior rating (I) and is eligible to perform at State Large Group Adjudicated Event.  

To prepare for this event, the High School Concert Band and Choir will be presenting a Pre Contest Concert on Monday, February 24th, at 6:30pm in the High School Gym.  In addition to regular concert goers, there will be professional musicians/music educators in the audience to give constructive feedback to both ensembles as they make their final preparations for contest.   The band will be traveling to Fairfield High School on Friday, March 13th and the choir will be performing on the same date at Eaton High School.  As of now, the performance times have not been set, but please mark your calendars to come out and support these fine organizations!  

UPCOMING DATES FOR WAYNESVILLE BANDS:

Monday, February 24: High School Pre Contest Concert – 6:30pm in the HS Gym

Monday, March 9: Middle School Concert – 6:30pm in the HS Gym

Friday, March 13: HS Large Group Contest – TBA at Fairfield HS (band), Eaton HS (choir)

Leslie Schleman

Band Director

lschleman@wayne-local.com