Fenton’s own Wind Ensemble will be going to festival again this year. This could mean potentially moving up to perform at state levels in the future. Wind Ensemble is an audition-based performing band at the high school. This year will be the band’s second time competing at the Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association (MSBOA) District 3 Band festival on March 1. This year’s competition will take place at Carman-Ainsworth highschool.
The festival is an event where bands from Michigan collect at a school and play three different pieces to retired band directors. Any band that is a part of MSBOA and has paid their dues to the organization can sign up to participate.The directors grade the bands on their articulation, rhythm and overall performance.
“Band and Orchestra Festival is an opportunity for ensembles from member schools to perform a program of three pieces for adjudication,” as stated on the MSBOA website, “one of which must be from MSBOA’s required list.”
The bands are judged on a 1-5 grading scale with one being the best. If a band receives straight ones, they get the opportunity to move on in competition by going to states for Michigan or another type of competition.
Last year Fenton’s Wind Ensemble went and received straight ones, but because of scheduling conflicts, chose not to attend the state competition. The band hopes to achieve straight ones once again this year and move up to the state level.
