Pleasant Valley hosted its District Band Night at the TaxSlayer Center on April 22, displaying over 800 total students performing in 13 different bands.
The concert has been held at the TaxSlayer Center for the past three years after its move from the high school gymnasium; this was a result of a growing band and district.
There were eight performances from 13 bands, including a combined district-wide 6th grade band, four high school bands, two seventh grade bands, and two eighth grade bands.
Senior band member Alton Barber explained why he enjoyed District Band Night. “It’s a good experience to see everybody in the Pleasant Valley band program in one building playing music,” he said. Barber expanded on the impact this performance had on the parents of students. “It’s also really cool for parents to be able to see the progression that their students make through all the years of support in band.”
Between performances, two awards were given to high school seniors voted on by their peers.
The first award was the John Philip Sousa Award, given to the student deemed best musician in the senior class. This year, the award was awarded to saxophone player Aman Manazir. Manazir expressed what this award meant to him. “It felt good because band has been an important part of my high school career and I have put a lot of work into practicing and preparing for auditions and other events. It was a pleasant surprise to cap off my senior year.”
The second award was the Dave Williams Memorial Scholarship, which was given to the senior who showed the most band spirit throughout their time as a band member. This award was given to flute player Katie Bullock. She shared her feelings on receiving the award. “I feel honored to be the recipient of the award because it feels like an award acknowledging not only the hard work I’ve put into the band, but my love for the program as well,” she said.
The bands performed pieces they have been preparing for the Large Group Contest on May 4, making this concert a way to not only showcase the talents of the bands but also have a chance to perform in front of a crowd before being critiqued by adjudicators.
