Richmond Hill Middle School is bustling with activity. The students are preparing for final exams and CRCTs, soccer and baseball season is gearing up, and other extracurricular activities such as art club, academic team, and student counsel are keeping the students on their toes. However, I think the busiest of all the different clubs and afterschool groups is the band.
The Richmond Hill Middle School bands include the 6th grade band, the 7th grade band, the 8th grade band, and the Wildcat Winds. All the groups have been practicing like crazy for the challenges this year will bring them. For example, the 6th grade band, 7th grade band, and Wildcat Winds performed at AASU recently for their first judged concert of the year. Being a band member in both 7th grade band and Wildcat Winds, I know first hand how hard we worked on our pieces for this show. Along with the regular in school band rehearsals, we also had after school practice on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Even two Saturday morning rehearsals were thrown in before the final performance. In the end, the 6th and 7th grade bands left with an excellent rating, and the Wildcat Winds exited triumphantly with one of the only superior ratings, even though they were the only middle school band performing among the many high school groups.
Now the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are preparing for the spring concert, the last one of the year, but the Wildcat Winds have more in store before they can begin practicing for this. They must first play another judged performance in Atlanta on April 17th. The directors have decided to play the same pieces as we did at festival, On the March, Ballade and Chanteys. They decided to do this because didn’t believe there was enough time to prepare a breathtaking show with all new songs. We are hoping to return from our journey in as jubilant an atmosphere as from our last concert, but if not, we will still know that we tried our best and had a good time.
Christina Smith is a school reporter for the Bryan County News.
The Richmond Hill Middle School bands include the 6th grade band, the 7th grade band, the 8th grade band, and the Wildcat Winds. All the groups have been practicing like crazy for the challenges this year will bring them. For example, the 6th grade band, 7th grade band, and Wildcat Winds performed at AASU recently for their first judged concert of the year. Being a band member in both 7th grade band and Wildcat Winds, I know first hand how hard we worked on our pieces for this show. Along with the regular in school band rehearsals, we also had after school practice on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Even two Saturday morning rehearsals were thrown in before the final performance. In the end, the 6th and 7th grade bands left with an excellent rating, and the Wildcat Winds exited triumphantly with one of the only superior ratings, even though they were the only middle school band performing among the many high school groups.
Now the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are preparing for the spring concert, the last one of the year, but the Wildcat Winds have more in store before they can begin practicing for this. They must first play another judged performance in Atlanta on April 17th. The directors have decided to play the same pieces as we did at festival, On the March, Ballade and Chanteys. They decided to do this because didn’t believe there was enough time to prepare a breathtaking show with all new songs. We are hoping to return from our journey in as jubilant an atmosphere as from our last concert, but if not, we will still know that we tried our best and had a good time.
Christina Smith is a school reporter for the Bryan County News.