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Crosby band earns ‘superior' rating at UIL competition.
  
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By JOSH HARDWICK
Members of the Crosby High School Military Marching Band reaped the benefit of more than three months of hard work this weekend, earning top ratings for their performance at the UIL Marching Competition held Nov. 8 in Aldine.
The band earned an overall Superior rating on a five-point scale that takes into account everything from tone and musicianship to execution of marching maneuvers and a band’s ability to perform as a single, cohesive unit.
This year’s drill was performed to the music of “Festival Prelude and Fanfare,” “Chicago World’s Fair,“the “Columbian March,” the “71st Regent March” and “Trombone King.”
Saturday’s competition marks the second consecutive year that the band has achieved the highest rating for its performance, an accomplishment that director Adam Bird attributed to his students’ tenacity and hard work during a hectic marching season.
“We started summer band on Aug. 1 with the upperclassmen teaching the freshman how to march. From there we practiced about five to six hours after school every week,” he said. “I’m certainly happy for the kids. I’m pleased with how they performed and with their rating.”
In his fifth year as director, Bird and his staff were challenged by a surge of new marchers (more than half of this year’s 125-piece band is freshmen), as well as two weeks’ worth of lost practice time due to the hurricane.
Originally scheduled for Oct. 18, the UIL agreed to postpone the competition for a month to give districts the opportunity to make up for lost time.
“For over two weeks we couldn’t do anything and that would have taken its toll on us,” said Drum Major Alice Doskocil. “We would have gone into that performance with just a couple weeks of practice and a football game behind us. We definitely needed more time.”
Saturday’s ratings were met with cheers by the students and Crosby parents who made up most of the crowd.
“I’m so excited. We worked so hard for it,” said Nicole Moser, assistant drum major. “I was really concerned with catching up; after Hurricane Ike we had to come back and come back fast.”
With marching season behind them, the band will now set its sights on the upcoming spring concert season. In January, Crosby students will compete in the UIL Solo and Ensemble competition, while preparing for the UIL concert and sight-reading competition in April.
The band will be seeking its second consecutive Sweepstakes by vying for Superior ratings in the UIL marching and concert competitions.
The band earned an overall Superior rating on a five-point scale that takes into account everything from tone and musicianship to execution of marching maneuvers and a band’s ability to perform as a single, cohesive unit.
This year’s drill was performed to the music of “Festival Prelude and Fanfare,” “Chicago World’s Fair,“the “Columbian March,” the “71st Regent March” and “Trombone King.”
Saturday’s competition marks the second consecutive year that the band has achieved the highest rating for its performance, an accomplishment that director Adam Bird attributed to his students’ tenacity and hard work during a hectic marching season.
“We started summer band on Aug. 1 with the upperclassmen teaching the freshman how to march. From there we practiced about five to six hours after school every week,” he said. “I’m certainly happy for the kids. I’m pleased with how they performed and with their rating.”
In his fifth year as director, Bird and his staff were challenged by a surge of new marchers (more than half of this year’s 125-piece band is freshmen), as well as two weeks’ worth of lost practice time due to the hurricane.
Originally scheduled for Oct. 18, the UIL agreed to postpone the competition for a month to give districts the opportunity to make up for lost time.
“For over two weeks we couldn’t do anything and that would have taken its toll on us,” said Drum Major Alice Doskocil. “We would have gone into that performance with just a couple weeks of practice and a football game behind us. We definitely needed more time.”
Saturday’s ratings were met with cheers by the students and Crosby parents who made up most of the crowd.
“I’m so excited. We worked so hard for it,” said Nicole Moser, assistant drum major. “I was really concerned with catching up; after Hurricane Ike we had to come back and come back fast.”
With marching season behind them, the band will now set its sights on the upcoming spring concert season. In January, Crosby students will compete in the UIL Solo and Ensemble competition, while preparing for the UIL concert and sight-reading competition in April.
The band will be seeking its second consecutive Sweepstakes by vying for Superior ratings in the UIL marching and concert competitions.
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