MPA

 After many weeks of hard work, practice, preparation and perseverance the time had finally come for the 42 7th and 8th graders from Zora Ellis to sit on stage and present to the listeners their best musical efforts.  Butterflies were amidst as the young musicians entered the warm-up room, many of them for the very first time.   However, focus, preparation and good listening skills aided them in getting off to a great start.  The travel from room to stage was very brief, yet the anticipation of what was about to come was almost overwhelming.  Fear, anticipation, nervousness, excitement and pride could be seen among the bright faces of the 47 musicians as they took the stage at Gadsden High School to present their musical selections:  Mt. Vernon March by Tom Molter, Dancing the Skies by Kevin Mixon and Furioso by R.W. Smith. 

The moment they had been waiting for was more than some expected.  As the students looked across the audience and saw the groups of other musicians and parents that had come to see them, including the Talladega High School Band, you could see a sense of wonder in their eyes.  Wonder if what they very about to do would be good enough, wonder if a much rehearsed passage would be correct, wonder if the judges would like what they hear and the reoccurring question "what if I mess up?".

It was quite a large gathering for 8:30 a.m as the group presented with pride the final product of their many weeks of hard work, receiving ratings of  "Excellent" from all three judges.  As each piece ended and the next began you could see the wondering looks and fear turn into accomplishment and pride, as they successfully accomplished the task at hand. 

But it's not over yet.  We very quickly were escorted from stage to the sight-reading room so that we could give our best efforts to present a never seen before piece to the overseeing judge.  The 18 7th graders and 24 8th graders eagerly waited as they listened to the judge explain the rules and distributed the folders.  Opening the folders with wide eyes the students began to listen and prepare as we began going through the NEW piece.  The process was the same as we practiced; yet time seemed to fly.  It was very quick that we were given the signal to go ahead and present the piece to the best of our ability.  The students did so with great effort, receiving a rating of "Excellent" from the sight-reading judge as well. 

I am very proud of our students and the and the musical accomplishments that they made not only on Wednesday at MPA or during the weeks leading up to MPA, but for the entire time that they have been in band, whether it is the two years the 8th graders have spent or the almost one for the 7th grade beginners.  The cooperation, behavior and efforts of these young student's should be commended.  What great young people with great futures ahead of them.  Congratulations Band!!  Keep up the good work.