Middle School Band earns 1+ rating

The Washington Middle School Advanced Band earned a 1+ rating at the Southeast Iowa Bandmasters Association (SEIBA) Junior High/Middle School Large Group Festival held at Solon Middle School Friday, March 27. The band performed three pieces: Alamo March by Karl King, arr. by Swearingen; Joy by Frank Ticheli; and Pinnacle by Rob Grice. At the conclusion of their performance, Bill Pringle (SEJH Iowa City Band director) worked with the band in a 15-minute mini-clinic. The band also received written and verbal comments from all three judges during their performance .

The band received scores of 33 (I+), 33 (I+) and 32 (I). The Middle School Advanced Band has 65 members (32 eighth-graders, 31 seventh-graders, and two sixth-graders) and is directed by Craig McClenahan.

The SEIBA Large Group Festival is open to all middle school and junior high school bands in the Southeast District. Bands receive ratings based on their performance from three judges who score 0-5 points for each of the following seven categories: Tone (beauty, blend, control); Intonation (melodic line, chords, tutti); Technique (articulation, facility, precision, rhythm); Balance (ensemble, sectional); Interpretation (expression, phrasing, style, tempo); Musical Effect (artistry, fluency); and other factors (appearance, discipline, instrumentation, selections).