Student-musicians from Clinton City Schools are showing that hard work and dedication pays off.
The bands from Clinton High School (CHS) and Sampson Middle School (SMS) received superior ratings for the Music Performance Adjudication through the North Carolina Music Educators Association. The rating is the highest that any band can receive.
The CHS band and the SMS eighth-grade band traveled to West Johnston High School for the competition held Wednesday, March 8.
CHS Band Director Travis Jordan said it is an awesome achievement for the bands.
“It shows that our students are excelling in the subject,” Jordan said. “We love what we do and we’re a team. We’re just really proud of our students and really proud of where are students are going.”
During the event, judges sanctioned by the state provided feedback and a rating after performances. The students are required to perform three pieces. One is a march, which is difficult to play perfectly.
“Whenever you think about testing kids, you think about it being in a classroom,” Jordan said. “This is a performance. We get on stage with our students. It’s an awesome experience, it really is, and there’s nothing quite like it.”
For SMS band director Vevlyn Lowe, another highlight is sight reading music in front of one judge and no audience.
“The students and I are given a piece of music we’ve never seen before,” she said. “To me, this is the most thrilling part of the day.”
They have a brief period of five minutes to go over it.
“That lets me know that my students know how to read music,” she said. “That’s the highlight of my day, but it’s always a thrill me.”
Both schools received superior ratings in the sight reading category as well.
A lot of hours and preparation go into readying for assessments and performances. For CHS and SMS, it starts at the sixth-grade level.
“We always start with the summer band camp, teaching the kids from the very beginning how to open a case without the instrument falling out,” Lowe said about some of the first steps.
She said a lot of students laugh and giggle about the old days when they would make squeaky and unpleasant sounds with their horns. As they progress, they move beyond playing tunes such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
“Those beginnings are what sets up the beginning for eighth grade and the high school band,” Lowe said.
Jordan comes over from the high school to assist middle school musicians. After SMS, they transition to high school via band camp.
“I always tell the students that when they’re joining the high school band, there is nothing that shows the longevity and commitment like band,” Jordan said. “These students start when they’re 11 and they finish when they are 17. When you’re applying for scholarships for college, that’s something that these people are looking for — commitment and longevity in an organization. These students demonstrate that.”
Students are encouraged to start in the sixth grade, but latecomers are welcomed. But it may take extra work to get them on the same level of experienced players.
To have a successful band, teamwork is key during a performance requiring attention to the director and their sheet music.
“They’re listening to the people around them and this is probably the only class that teaches the multitasking that it does,” Jordan said. “You find that the top students in the school are in this room right now.”
SMS assistant principal Robert Testerman also applauded the work of the students. He said it was a wonderful program which represents the school well.
“Not only are these students talented, but they’re part of an intense curriculum,” Testerman said.
He added that band members provide motivation to others while performing at events such pep rallies and ball games.
“The spirit of the school radiates through these Dark Horses,” he said. “It’s just a privilege to have them here in our school.”
