This week, both the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble competed in the UIL Concert & Sightreading Contest at Midway High School. We are proud to report that both groups earned the coveted Sweepstakes Award! This means they earned First Division Superior ratings in both the Concert and Sightreading portions of the contest. Students have been practicing and rehearsing on their concert pieces for the past 2 months. They have also been refining the process of sightreading where students have only 7 minutes to study a newly-composed piece of music, and then perform that piece immediately after without practicing!
We are especially proud of the Symphonic Band as this is the first-ever Sweepstakes for this ensemble! Judge comments for this group include: “Students perform with a mature concept of characteristic tone quality; Lots of fine individual players; Very smart musical students in this ensemble!; and Students are attentive and engaged in the learning process – Bravo!”
As the 7th consecutive Sweepstakes Award for the Wind Ensemble, judge comments for this group include: “Well prepared, taught, and performed; Good teaching and learning is evident; Students are attentive and all are engaged in the process; and Wow! You are to be commended for doing much more than playing the notes.”
Click on this link to hear the recordings of both groups at contest: soundcloud.com/sbmsband/sets/uil-2018 and you only have one more chance to hear both groups perform at the annual Band-O-Rama Concert on Friday, May 11 at the Belton Performing Arts Center.
South Belton Band 