Band scores excellent

The Pea Ridge High School Band has achieved marked improvement and success this year as compared to the past two school years. The marching band raised their score at their Region VI Marching Assessment from a Third Division rating of “Good” for the past two years, to a Second Division rating of “Excellent.” This occurred on Oct. 23 at Rogers High School who hosted the event. The marching band also received a Second Division rating of “Excellent” at the Elkins Invitation Marching contest two weeks prior to their Region Assessment.

In the Spring semester, the band achieved the same results at the Region VI Concert Assessment of raising their score of a Third Division rating of “Good” the past two years to a Second Division rating of “Excellent.” The scores at each of these events are awarded by a panel of three judges that critique and make constructive criticism of the band’s performance and the many facets and skills that are required of the students and the band as a whole.

The judges then award the band with an overall score that they feel the band has earned in their performance that day.

The band showed great improvement in marching technique, musicianship, showmanship and their overall presentation at the two marching contests in October, according to band director Matt McCool.

Those improvements carried over to the band’s performance at Concert Assessment on March 8 at Bentonville High School. Much of the band’s improvement can be attributed to the their hard work during their two week preparation at the beginning of August before school started. This year’s freshman class has been a particularly talented class.

Several of the instrument sections’ first chair players are ninth graders, including Adrian Saenz on flute, Kallie Koon on trumpet, Alan Sicairos on trombone and Alex Williams on percussion. The talent of the ninth graders, along with the experience and confidence of the other classes, have made for a very successful and rewarding year for the band. For their successes this year, the band will be taking a reward trip to a music festival at the Magic Springs Theme Park in Hot Springs on Saturday, May 4. The band will perform on an outdoor stage at Magic Springs for judges, and enjoy spending the day in the park.