DeMatha was abuzz with excitement this morning as 202 students and 14 staff members filled into five buses for their spring music trip and festival in Virginia Beach, Va. The musicians have been preparing for this excursion since August.
“This is the high point of the year,” DeMatha director of bands Carlos Castrillon ’95 says. “Everything we’ve been working for since the beginning of the academic year has been geared towards this trip.”
The caravan, including a large rental truck, is expected to arrive in Virginia Beach around 3 p.m. All bands, choruses and Sinfonia have rehearsals this evening. The competition is Friday at the L. Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center at Norfolk State University.
DeMatha students typically perform exceedingly well at these events. Last year, the Stags placed first or second in eight categories with all excellent or superior ratings. In addition, Sinfonia won the Overall Orchestra Award, and the Voices of DeMatha took home the Overall Choral Award.
“When these young men focus and really concentrate, they play at an extremely high level,” says Matt Bickel ’95, DeMatha director of instrumental music. “It’s about getting everyone there on the same page at the same time.”
Friday begins with a 6 a.m. wake-up call. The first judging session (schedule below) is at 9:15; they continue until about 5 p.m. DeMatha students are expected to remain dressed in their tuxedos the entire time in support of their schoolmates.
By 6 o’clock Friday, the boys can relax at the hotel or go to the beach. Although today’s water temperature is expected to be 56 degrees, Bickel predicts some of the youngsters will plunge into the chilly Atlantic.
“You know these kids are brave,” Bickel says. “They’ll get in the water – guaranteed.”
On Saturday morning, the group heads to nearby Williamsburg to enjoy the rides, tours and shows at Busch Gardens. The awards ceremony is at 1 p.m. At 7, the DeMatha entourage leaves for their three-hour trip home.
The DeMatha music program, which also includes directors Jim Turk, Michael Gatti and Jason Gonzales, is one of the finest in the nation. We are blessed to have such talented instructors and students lifting people’s spirits with the sound of sweet music.
“Everyone is working very hard toward this performance,” Castrillon says. “Whatever the scores and rankings are is secondary to making sure our students compete – and perform – to the best of our ability.”
Performance times are:
9:15 a.m. - DeMatha Harmonics
10:15 a.m. - Voices of DeMatha
11:00 a.m. - Percussion Ensemble II
11:15 a.m. - Advanced Percussion Ensemble
12:15 p.m. - Sinfonia
1:25 p.m. - Concert Band II
2:35 p.m. - Concert Band
3:45 p.m. - Symphonic Band
4:25 p.m. - Wind Ensemble
(Written by Chris McManes, DeMatha communications manager.)
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