Please forgive Oxford High School’s talented bands if they want to toot their own horns this week. They’ve earned some bragging rights.
The symphonic, concert and varsity bands all scored 1’s at the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association district festival held at OHS March 6-7.
Ensembles are rated on a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 (or ‘superior?) being the highest rating possible. Each ensemble must perform three pieces of music, one of which must be from the MSBOA’s required list.
‘I am ecstatic,? said OHS Band Director Jim Gibbons. ‘I’m very, very happy with not only the rating, but with the performances that they gave.?
Gibbons said this is the first time Oxford’s had all three bands score 1’s.
‘Several times we’ve had two of the three get a 1, but we’ve not ever had all three get a 1 until now,? he said. ‘I had a pretty good feeling about two of the bands. One of the bands I thought was on the border between a 1 and a 2, but they did a great job on Saturday. They brought their ‘A? game.?
Gibbons said the greatest strength of all three bands is their ‘overall tone,? which is the foundation of any group with a good sound.
‘That’s something I work on and strive for and hit real hard with them is to always think about tone and balance and blend,? he explained.
Oxford Middle Schools varsity, concert and symphonic bands, under the direction of Pat Parrish, also performed at the festival. All three bands scored 2’s. ‘I’m very pleased and very proud of their performance and efforts,? Parrish said. ‘I think they showcased our program very well.?
Parrish said scoring all 2’s this year ‘gives us something to shoot for next year.?
Enthusiasm is definitely the greatest strength of all three OMS bands. ‘The judges were pretty consistent across-the-board about that in their comments,? Parrish said.
Gibbons wished to thank all the volunteers who made Oxford’s first time hosting the district festival such a success.
‘It would absolutely not have been possible to host the festival without parent and student volunteers,? he said. ‘They were wonderful. I received multiple comments on the quality of our parent volunteers, the quality of our student volunteers, how helpful everyone was. I can’t say enough about the people.?
Gibbons said those visiting for the festival were also impressed with OHS itself.
‘Tons and tons of comments about how great the facility was,? he said. ‘The directors loved playing in the auditorium. The judges thought it sounded great.?