The bands competed in the California Music Educator’s Association Band and Orchestra Festival at Downey High this past weekend, a competition that featured school music programs from San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
The bands earned a Unanimous Superior, the highest award in the state, for their performance. It’s the second time the bands received the honor, the most recent time being in 2009.
The competition featured a special challenge, in which band director Michael Costa had five minutes to teach a music selection to his students randomly chosen from a folder. The students had to learn the music without playing or singing the notes before performing the piece for a judge.
Concerts throughout the area will wrap up the season in the next few weeks, starting with the jazz band heading to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo for a 1 p.m. concert Saturday, May 14.
The Tracy High symphonic wind instrument players will take the stage at San Joaquin Delta College on Tuesday, May 17, as part of the Delta concert band’s World Tour Concert. The winds section will play as the first half of the concert.
The jazz ensemble and the symphonic band will return home to the Emma Baumgardner Theater for their home concert on Wednesday, May 18, at 7 p.m. The symphonic band will play its award-winning selections form the CMEA competition, while the jazz ensemble will perform several tunes.
The jazz band finishes the season with shows at the Children’s Health and Wellness Fair at noon, May 21, and later that night during the Guns and Hoses charity basketball game between the Tracy Fire and Tracy Police departments at West High School.
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