Bolles Bands Rated Outstanding at Festival
Both the Bolles Upper School Symphonic Band, conducted by Don Zentz, and the Bolles Middle School Concert Band, conducted by Maggie Vance, received first division ratings of “outstanding” at the 2012 Independent Schools Music Festival held on March 1. For this event, bands prepare three contrasting musical selections and then perform them for three adjudicators. This year’s judges were Dr. Bill Prince (professor emeritus at UNF), Mr. Max Cordell (director of bands at Trinity Christian Academy), and Mr. Artie Clifton (professor of music at JU). Collectively, the expertise of these three adjudicators established a standard of musical excellence that all the bands were rated against. The bands competed against this standard instead of against each other. This is the hallmark of music festivals in view of how schools typically compete against each other in practically all other venues. After each band’s performance, the adjudicators came up on stage to offer educational critique and a mini clinic. |
