School Ensemble Hits High Note in Contest

Bringing home more awards than any other competing band, Ventura’s Anacapa Middle School wind ensemble received top honors at the National Adjudicators International festival in Atlanta.

The 40-member band received a superior division trophy and two honors awards given for the highest overall score at the festival on Friday. The clarinet section also received the judges award for outstanding woodwind section.

“Everyone was really, really surprised because we knew that we would get an award because we’ve been to other festivals, and we’ve always gotten ‘superior,’ but I didn’t think we would get the two highest awards,” said Malena Jones, an eighth-grader who plays timpani and bells.

During a performance of “On an American Spiritual,” which they described as their best performance ever, some of the young musicians grew teary-eyed.

“Most of us agreed it was the best we’d ever done,” Malena said.

About 120 bands performed in the festival. A band must be rated superior in state and local competitions the previous three years before it is allowed to compete in the festival. A number of college and university band directors saw the performance and said some students could qualify for scholarships at their campuses.