Cue the trumpets! Greenville Independent School District is proud to boast a robust and highly competitive instrumental music program district wide. All five bands, from sixth grade to high school, have had outstanding seasons and record-breaking participation this year.

The Sixth Grade Center band is larger than ever, with 146 members. Under the leadership of Amy Lawhead, as well as strong community and administrative support, our beginning band program grows bigger and better each year. This year, the SGC bands have performed at the Holiday Concert, Fine Arts Extravaganza, PTA meetings, fifth grade recruiting concert, the 2017 ‘Spotlight on Student Engagement,’ and will attend their first competition in May at the ‘Soundpost Music Festival’ in Canton, Tex.

This year, Greenville Middle School has three concert bands. Kent Tidwell, GMS Band Director, is “very proud of the growth and quality of our middle school musicians,” he said. The middle school bands have performed at the middle school night, with the GHS ‘Lion Pride’ Band, Mid- Winter Concert, Holiday Concert, Veterans Day Concert, Veterans Day Parade, the ‘Fine Arts Extravaganza,’ Pre-UIL concert in Princeton, UIL Concert and Sight Reading in Forney, and at the 2017 ‘Spotlight on Student Engagement.’

Two of the GMS bands competed at the Region 3 UIL Concert and Sight Reading Contest this year, held in Forney. The Concert Band earned straight division I ratings in both Concert and Sight Reading. The Symphonic Band earned a II rating for their stage performance and a I rating in sight reading. This is was the first year that the bands competed in Region 3.

The Greenville High School ‘Lion Pride’ Band also had an outstanding year. Our award-winning band represented GHS at every football game and earned several awards during marching season in the fall, including: division I ratings at the Mesquite Marching Festival, division I ratings at the Northeast Texas Marching Invitational, overall “Outstanding 5A Marching Band” award at the Northeast Texas Marching Invitational, and division I ratings at the Region 3 UIL Marching. The GHS percussionists also had a strong showing at the Plano Drumline Competition.

During the spring season, two students, Laura Foote, a Baritone Saxophone, and Darren Thiessen, a Trumpet, were members of the Region 3 TMEA All-Region Band. Both students qualified for TMEA Area competition as well. Also at Regionals, 11 students were chosen to participate in the Texas A&M University-Commerce Honor Band.

The GHS band took 52 events to UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest where 48 earned division I ratings and 4 earned division II ratings. Sixteen events, which included 40 students, qualified for the UIL Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest, which will be held this May in Austin, Tex.

At the UIL Region 3 Concert and Sight Reading Contest, the GHS band earned straight division I ratings for their stage presentation, and a I, II, II in sight reading, based on three judgings.

“Hardworking students, administrative support, and parental support are all major components to the successes of the GISD bands,” said Director of Bands/Secondary Music Coordinator, Joel L. Weisberg. “We are fortunate each day to work with the very best students in East Texas, and their hard work and dedication to our programs is paying off in a HUGE way,” he said.

On the horizon for our GHS band is the annual Band & Flash ‘Floor Show’, which will be held on Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13. If you would like to come, tickets are available from any Band or Flash member, and will be sold at the door. This year’s theme is ‘Floor Show Goes Broadway.’ The show is open to the public, with tickets available for $5 in advance, and $7 at the door.