LMPS Concert Band and Orchestra earned superior ratings at the WTSBOA Concert Festival this week, qualifying them to perform at the state level before nationally recognized music educators.
Anneliese Land, LMPS (Lakeland Middle Preparatory School) band director, said, “The LMPS Concert Band and Concert Orchestra earned superior ratings across the board at Concert Festival this past week.
“The ensembles’ superior ratings qualify them to perform at the State level for a panel of nationally recognized music educators.” The State Festival is the last weekend in April at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville.
The Orchestra performed at Kate Bond Middle School Wednesday (3.6.19) and the Band at West Collierville Middle School Tuesday (3.5.19). Paula Bert Turner is LMPS Orchestra director. Sponsor of the Concert Festival is the West Tennessee School Band and Orchestra Association (WTSBOA).
“The ensembles earned top ratings, or 1s, in all categories from each of the three judges on stage for the prepared music and from the sight reading judge as well,” said Mrs. Land.
“In the sight reading room, ensembles are assessed on their ability to perform a piece of music they have never seen before, after a few minutes of verbal instruction from their director. Students are not permitted to practice their part in any way during this instruction.”
Mrs. Land said both ensembles were highly praised for the beauty of their sound. Judges said that the band had “some of the richest, most gorgeous, blended, balanced, and in tune sounds of the day,” and that the “wonderful, mature musicians on stage” made “my [the judge’s] afternoon to hear such a fine band.”
Mrs. Turner added that the judges noted that the orchestra’s sound was “gorgeous” as well, also ”beautiful and breath-taking”, performing with “creatively shaped phrasing”, “effective dynamics”, and taking the judges on “a vivid (musical) journey.”
Mrs. Land and Mrs. Turner agree that the experience of performing at Concert Festival is about much more than preparing tunes for judges’ feedback. The life lessons learned – teamwork, personal accountability, and pursuit of quality performance – far outweigh the thrill of the moment and the excitement of the day, they commented.
The performing students were inspired by hundreds of Applause-a-Grams submitted on their behalf during the February Mid-Winter concerts of the Band and Orchestra.
