George Wythe High School Band Takes Third Place in National Competition
On Friday April, 8, the George Wythe High School Concert Band participated in the Heritage Music Festival competition in New Orleans, La. The event took place over two days to accommodate the large number of entries. Bands in the festival came from across North America and included groups from California, Quebec, and Florida to name a few. Each group performed prepared pieces in front of a group of nationally accredited judges and were rated on a scale used at similar competitions hosted by Heritage across the country. The George Wythe Concert Band finished third overall in their class scoring a Bronze Rating, narrowly missing silver rating by one point.
The trip included some time for sight seeing while in the Big Easy. Side events included a paddle wheel cruise on the Mississippi with a Dixieland Jazz Ensemble and lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. The festival trip also coincided with the French Quarter Jazz Festival which included a number of local and nationally known groups performing in open venues along the riverside. Competing on the first day of the event also gave the band all day Saturday free at Six Flags where the jam-packed awards ceremony was held at 8 pm.
The band makes the trip for national competition every other year. The destination is chosen by the band members from a list of options provided by the festival providers. Trips in the past have included Chicago, Orlando, Boston, and Toronto. Band members earn the cost of the trip through fundraisers. They would like to thank their patrons and supporters for making this year's trip possible. That cookie dough or those flower bulbs you purchased just went to expand the horizons of a budding musician.
