by Wesley Wright
LPS Orchestra Booster Club President
During the WTSBOA Concert Festival this week, both the Band and Orchestra at Lakeland Preparatory School were ranked as “Superior” in stage performance and sight reading.
The Concert Band (7th-9th grade students) performed at the University of Memphis in the Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, March 7. The Concert Orchestra (5th-9th grade students) performed at West Collierville Middle School on Wednesday, March 8.
A panel of three judges (local performing musicians, collegiate music educators, and retired music educators) critiqued and evaluated the concert portion of the performance, providing both helpful feedback and encouraging words. A fourth judge assessed the students’ ability to sight read an unfamiliar piece of music after only six minutes of silent study accompanied by verbal instructions from their directors.
Both the Band and Orchestra received “Superior” ratings from all four judges, commonly known as earning “Straight Ones”.
About the band, judges said, “Best overall I’ve heard today!”, “Very good instruction and attention to detail“, “GREAT WORK! It is time to push even higher levels of difficulty and submit tapes for state and national conferences.” “Bravo! Great young teachers and outstanding student musicians.”
The orchestra received similar compliments, including “Impressive job of watching your conductor”, ”Wonderful character”, “Confident players from front to back”, “Individual sections move as one voice, which is very mature and sounds lovely.”, and “I thoroughly enjoyed your carefully prepared and executed performance. Wonderful energy!”
Mr. Hopper, Mr. Radcliffe, and Mrs. Turner said that these results speak to the quality of work done daily in the music classrooms at all levels in the district, to the support of the school and district administration, and to the high level of commitment from students and parents to fine arts in the Lakeland School System
