The Florala High School concert band received top marks at the very first time in years in the Alabama Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment in Enterprise on March 8.
Bands from all over the state gather in their districts at various locations. Each band performs three pieces music to a panel judges to be evaluated and judged for the level of performance. The judges provide live audio commentary on tape recorders throughout the performance and provide feedback on the rubric for grading. The rubric of judges helps bands understand the level they are in and where they could improve to improve the quality of their future performances.
“Receiving an excellent score from one judge is proof that we’re heading towards the right direction as a group. It’s a real honour when a band at MPA gets a higher rating. It has been a long time since the band was awarded a top rating in this contest. In some way, they created history for the community and school,” Director of Bands Patrick Whitehurst said.
The high school’s concert band includes 26 students, including 17 in seventh and eighth grade with nine in ninth grade through the 12th. There are also 25 sixth and fifth graders who are part of a beginner group at W.S. Harlan elementary school.
The preparations for the event started during a summer rehearsal. Whitehurst had a basic premise which was to go back to fundamentals.
“We have been working to develop our tone, and have played long tones almost every day since July. We focused on tuning intonation, technique, blend and balance, as well as musicality, and also established what a quality band sounds like. The band were given their instruments in the month of January, and continued to strengthen our sound and good habits as we practiced the music that we performed at the concert. After all is finished the most important thing about attending MPA isn’t to compete and earn a top score but to provide the students with the best learning experience possible and to show the amount of progress they’ve achieved. Additionally, they have fun during the entire process.” said the MPA director.
Three of Florala’s selections from her concert included “Touchstone March” by Fred Allen, “A Hymn of Remembrance” by Todd Phillips, and “Arabian Dances” composed by Roland Barrett.
“One piece is chosen from a list of cumulative pieces according to the classification the band is classified under. The two other pieces differ from one another due to the design of the piece. I believe that every band must learn to be able to sing in a “march style. This is the reason I chose Touchstone March. The Hymn to Remember is a lyrical song or ballad that helps the band learn the ability to sing in a singing or lyrical manner. This makes them more aware of each section as they balance, blend, and listening. This is a wonderful piece to show that importance of tonality. Arabian Dances was selected because it offered opportunities to learn from difficult technical sections. Also, it was the most admired part by students in our entire curriculum,” Whitehurst said.
His students were happy with their performance prior to when they were given their final outcomes. “I could tell that they were extremely proud of what they had accomplished on stage as well as in the reading room for sight. When I announced to them about the accomplishments they accomplished, they were excited, exuberant and cheered.”
Looking ahead, Whitehurst hopes that this experience can spark a fire and love for music, especially with the group.
“I believe they’ll make use of the accomplishments of getting higher marks as a means of proving they’ve learned something, and they improved from doing this. I’d like to see their accomplishments encourage them to keep going and work to improve together as a team. The more they do as a team, the more we’ll be able to continue to improve and hopefully create something truly special in Florala High School they can treasure and be proud of for years to come.” the coach said.
Clarinetist in eighth grade Caitlyn Hudson was stunned by the results. “We were thinking we wouldn’t be able to have a great time at MPA. When the news was announced for us to be true, we screamed at the highest volume and jumping up and down excited.”
Whitehurst has just started his second year of being director of the Florala director of the band.
“I am thankful to be able to lead the program for band at Florala because of the amazing community, amazing administrators, and the coworkers who collaborate as one big family. The most important thing is that I am enthusiastic about teaching my amazing students every day. They’ve been responsive, open and determined to do their best not only to excel in their field but because they really enjoy being in a the band. They are always eager to learn something new and enjoy being together. As a group, we strive to become the best we can be and be the best in all that we do.”
He said that he gets to learn from his students every day. “The wonderful thing about being a music teacher is that you become an ongoing learner. I’m learning just as much from my students as they learn from me. Music connects people positively and that’s why I enjoy about my job. I could not think of a job that’s more satisfying than to play songs with the students I teach.”
For more information email patrick.whitehurst@cov.k12.al.us or visit the Florala High School Marching Pride Facebook page.
“Proud would be an understatement. I am thrilled for students and for what they’ve accomplished this year. I am eager to see what the future holds for the program from this point. As of now it’s just beginning,” Whitehurst said.
The article Florala High School concert band earns top scores at ABAMPA was first published at The Andalusia Star-News.
