The Warhorse Regiment, representing Owen High School, won first place in four of five categories at the 52nd Annual Land of the Sky Marching Band Festival on Sept. 26, hosted by Enka High School. The Valley Echo reported the information.
The 38-member marching band earned top marks in drum major, percussion, music and Overall 1A, while placing second in color guard. Band Director Adam Kallestad introduced the show, titled Colors of Spain, to students last spring, and the ensemble rehearsed twice weekly for three hours per session, according to the report.
Kallestad told The Valley Echo that practice centers on tone quality, blending and balancing. The ensemble includes a majority of freshmen and eighth-grade students from Owen Middle School, whose band director Trey Simpson collaborates daily with Kallestad on sixth-grade instruction. Kallestad credited that relationship with growing the local band community and allowing interested eighth graders to join the high school program.
The festival served as the ensemble’s first tournament of the season and a learning experience in managing performance pressure, Kallestad said. Four of six color guard members are in eighth grade. The staff also includes color guard instructor BJ Harden Jones and percussion instructors Isaiah Cedillo and Chris Bradford. Kallestad identified areas for improvement ahead of an Oct. 10 tournament at A.C. Reynolds High School.
For more information, visit thevalleyecho.com.