Superior for the tenth consecutive year
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

The 2007-08 Brownsboro High School Marching Band at Steven F. Austin University

Steven F Austin University in Nacogdoches was filled with music Saturday, October 20. Bands from around 39 schools marched to the campus to perform their hearts out, and Brownsboro High School Bear's band achieved all rank 1 ratings, the best possible rating.

Jeff Russell, band director, said the band was ranked for three categories on a variety of aspects for the U.I.L. Marching Competition in Homer Bryce Stadium.

"It was probably our best performance," Russell said. "We peaked out there, and that's kind of where you want to peak because you only get one shot at that competition."

The band received first division ranking from every judge, their 10th consecutive first division rating. Along with 14 other bands, the BHS band was placed in the competition's 3A ranking. The rankings, 1A through 5A, where measured by school size.

The band was judged on marching fundamentals, musicianship and tone, Russell said.

Marching fundamentals include carriage, stationary, movement, foot placement, and how instruments were manipulated during the performance.

BHS Twirlers, Kelsey Head (9th grade), Amanda Parker (11th grade), Brooke Parker (11th grade), Amber Seagroves (10th grade) and Sage Chambers (9th grade) all achieved top rank in the UIL Twirling Solo competition.

"It's about how we looked out there," Russell said.

Musicianship covered ensemble balance and blend, intonation, articulation, phrasing, styles and tempos.

Together with the tone com- ponent, the by-section judging of tone quality, technique and effective use of each section, musicianship decides how well the performance sounds.

The band performed Chicago World's Fair by Carl Mader, The Drum Major by J.S. Taylor, and The Noble Men of Kyle by Major Joe T. Haney.

The judges, John S. Young of Wills Point, Gary Monroe of Mesquite and Neal Sutton of Texarkana, described the band as having a "great ensemble sound", "excellent woodwind exposure", "superior tonal focus", "nice balance and blend" and "excellent commitment to fundamentals ".

This new sign a Bear Stadium demonstrates how much the BHS Band means to the school district.

Marla Pollard, 12th grade drum major, said the band did the best a band could do at the competition.

"I liked seeing all the bands do so good and seeing all the hard work paying off," Pollard said.

The band's twirlers, Kelsey Head, Amanda Parker, Brooke Parker, Amber Seagroves and Sage Chambers, all had top scores for the U.I.L. Twirling Solo and Non-solo competition Wednesday, October 24 at San Marcos. They all performed in the solo segment, and Amanda Parker, Brooke Parker and Amber Seagroves will go to the U.I.L Texas State Twirling competition in May. The girls are sponsored by Ms. Sarah Hall, BHS English teacher.

BHS's agriculture department, in appreciation of the band, erected a sign honoring the band of over 100 performers at the Bear Football Field.

Pollard said the sign shows other schools how much the Brownsboro Independent School District community appreciates the band.

Russell, who works together with assistants Steve Wise, Alice Slayton, Michelle Stuckey and Weston Fischer to direct the band, wrote how proud he was of his band in a press release.

"I am very proud of how far our kids have come this year. The students this year have made more improvement since the beginning of summer band than any group I have ever had. It is a huge honor to be associated with this great bunch of students," Russell said. "Our parents and community have been represented to the highest standards. I really just can't express in words how proud I am of these students and their performances."

The band members, by grade, are:

9th grade: Ashleigh Alford, Melody Anderson, Emily Bartmess, Colton Beall, Cashay Carter, Sage Chambers, Kasey Cliver, Osbaldo Conde, Andrea Crawford, Jennifer Dawson, Charles Gilpin, Abril Gonzales, Daniel Hawkins, Kelsey Head, Stacey Ibarra, Bradley Lento, Alexander Martin, Colin Mason, Jonathan McCune, Krystopher McLean, Macy Pollard, Ryand Reid, Jeff Smiley, Jordan Thomas, Matthew Tompkins, LeeAnn Tustison, Lauren Wood and Lee Wynn

10th grade: Robert Allison, Alyx Baker, Callie Boozer, Harmonee Bostick, Shade Bruffett, Chase Carnes, Jessica Caviness, Chelsea Chambers, Alex Conway, Britni Featherston, Logan Graham, Holly Hargrave, Shelbi Holt, Nelson Icenhower, Clint Johnson, Justin Kiker, Weston King, Clay Maddox, Jordan McCallie, Megan Michaux, Carrie Miller, Jeremy Miller, Justin Payne, Lacey Pettit, Madison Peyton, Chris Radford, Cortney Ruble, Amber Seagroves, Wesley Smith, Haley Suggs, Sterling Tuley, Justin Vause, Selina Wallace, Gregory Warren, Brittany Weaver and Kyle Yarbrough

11th grade: Joynell Barnett, Danielle Bynum, Kamron Covington, Taylor Cramer, Ryan Edwards, Kate Griffin, Quinton Hogue, Matthew Lough, Logan McCullough, Jarrett McDowell, Kaylan McGaughey, Lauren Morriss, Amanda Parker, Brooke Parker, Shuntae Redic, Kyle Rose, Taylor Rushing, Jessica Scott, Haley Smith, Brooke Stewart, Tevin Storr and Tarah Thornton

12th grade: Lane Bell, Alyssa Bledsoe, Jake Brooks, Kelsie Burton, Allison Chambers, Katy Davis, Whitney Faulkner, Nathaniel Kuhns, Ethan Newell, Marla Pollard, Tristen Poole, Preston Reid, Julie Travis, Stefani Vause and Crystal Young.

The Brownsboro Band performs at all Bear football games and will also hold a concert at the end of the 2007- 08 school year.