Competition showcases emerging young talent

By Stephanie Straubel
The Appalachian

Monday, October 20, 2008

Fans poured into Kidd Brewer Stadium Saturday for the 29th annual Appalachian Marching Band Festival.

Sixteen high school bands from North Carolina and one from Florida participated in the festival, which was hosted by the Rho Tau chapter of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity.

The Rho Tau chapter, whose goal is to "advance music in America," hosts several euphonic events every year including the All-District Band Clinic, the American Music Review and the Western Regional Orchestral Clinic.

The festival’s chairman, senior music education major and Phi Mu Alpha member W. Patrick Watkins organized the show, which serves simultaneously as a showcase for high school bands and the Marching Mountaineers Latin Music Show.

"[The festival] helps [high school students] feel like they achieved something, it helps them appreciate music more," Watkins said.

The festival began at noon with the 50 member North Mecklenburg High School Vikings playing a compilation of the musical group’s Queen’s arrangements.

The show progressed with bands performing according to their size, which distributed them into classes ranging from "A" to "AAAA."

The schools gave impressive performances, all vying for the coveted Chancellor’s Cup. The larger schools brought props to complement their performances.

Ledford High School from Thomasville performed "Roanoke: The Lost Colony," with elaborate props and sets, and the East Davidson Eagles from Thomasville wore black capes to accompany their "Metalution" performance.

"We always look forward to this competition; it’s one of our favorites. We look forward to the competition and to the atmosphere," Alleghany High School band member Brandon K. Smith said.

The competition also provided an opportunity for the Rho Tau chapter to raise funds for their Contemporary Music Festival, and all of the proceeds go back to the Hayes School of Music, Watkins said.

Other than the entrance fee, band t-shirts were available, as well as Marching Mountaineer CDs, sold by university-owned Split Rail Records.

"We have a distribution deal with the marching band, we’re selling their CDs and it gives us a chance to sell our other stuff," Split Rail Records vice president of legal Brandie S. Curnutte said.

The festival serves several purposes, largely as a recruiting opportunity.

"It’s cool for me because I came here in high school, and now I’m in the band, so hopefully that means we’re recruiting," freshman music performance major and Marching Mountaineer percussionist Diana C. Loomer said.

Watkins said the festival was an overall success, and said it went a lot smoother than in past years.

The competition came to a close with the Marching Mountaineers playing a selection of Latin music including "Children of Sanchez" and "Land of Make Believe."

The Chancellor’s Cup was awarded to the Jay M. Robinson High School Bulldogs from Concord for their performance of "Destination: New York."

The was the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia’s largest project during the fall semester, and gave more than 1,000 high school students a glimpse of Appalachian’s campus.

"I feel like it’s a good opportunity to organize high school bands from all around the state," junior journalism and Marching Mountaineer trumpet player David P. Heiliger said.

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