PEA RIDGE — After a very successful marching season, the Pea Ridge High School band focused on the Region I Concert Band Contest March 11 at the Performing Arts Center on the campus of Springdale High School.

The band started in January working on three tunes for this contest. This contest is similar to the one the band participated in back in October, except they performed in a concert setting, instead of marching on a football field. As with the marching contest, there is a panel of three judges that offer both written and audio recorded critiquesof the bands’ performance and give the band a rating.

Last school year, the band received a II-III-III onthe stage performance and a II in sight-reading. This year, the band increased their scores by receivinga I-II-II on stage and a I in sight reading. These are the best scores the band has received at concertcontest in quite a few years. All contests that the band participates in throughout the year are essentially anOlympic scoring format. A I is superior, II excellent, IIIgood, IV fair and a V poor.

After concert contest, select band students learned solos, duets and quartet pieces to participate in Region I solo and Ensemble Contest held April 10 at West Fork High School.

Ten students from the band participated in this contest.

Rachel Hayes received a I for a trumpet solo, Joseph Hackler and Jennifer Cronereceived a II for a clarinet duet, Sarah Meyers, Lauren Meyers, Kattarina Cochran and Abi Brown received a II for a low brass quartet, Brooke Woods and Jenna Morrison received a III for a clarinet duet and Spencer Hedlund received a III for a baritone saxophone solo.

After spring break, the band learned three new pieces for the spring concert. Two of those pieces were performed at the Worlds of Fun Music Festival in Kansas City May 8.

This was the usual end-ofthe-year reward trip that the high school band takes each year to participate in the music festival. The band took third place out of 24 bands in their classification at the festival and received a second division rating of IIExcellent from the judges.

The final performance of the year is set for May 31 at the Bella Vista VFW’s Memorial Day Service at the Bella Vista Cemetery.

The band has been asked to perform at this event every year for the past several years.

The jazz band recently performed for the residents at Autumn Place Retirement Home in Pea Ridge May 7. The jazz band will also be featured at the Arend Performing Arts Center on the Bentonville High School Campus on May 16 as the opening act for Daniel Rodriguez, who is known as “The Singing Policeman of 9/11.” This is part of a concert series called NWA Live-On Stage!, sponsored bythe Bella Vista AARP. The jazz band will be presented with a $250 honorarium for their participation in this concert.

The band will have the end of the year Awards Banquet May 20 in the high school cafeteria, where select students from each grade level 6-12 will receive awards for outstanding work throughout the year.

Sports, Pages 9 on 05/19/2010