The Seneca High School marching band earned first place in music in Class A at the Bands of America competition in St. Louis, a historic achievement for the Missouri ensemble, Yahoo reported.
The honor marks the first time Seneca has competed in a national competition of this scale, according to the report. Band director Tyler Jones said first-time bands typically place last at such events, making the award a surprise for students and staff.
Jones and student drum majors said the season required about 150 hours of work, and the recognition validated that effort. Senior drum major Luke Patterson noted that Seneca was the only band at the competition appearing for the first time, making the Best Music win especially meaningful. Senior Joshua Roller said he would gladly invest more time in the program, while senior Marley Myers described the moment the band’s name was called as elevating for the drum majors.
Seneca was the only school from its area to place in the competition, Yahoo reported. The next closest school, Hollister, took overall first place. The two bands were scheduled to face each other at Seneca’s home playoff game on October 30.
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