Marble Falls High School band wins awards at regional marching festival
The Marble Falls High School marching band celebrated winning Best Color Guard and second place in the Best Band category at the Capital City Marching Festival on Sept. 25. Photo from Mustang band Twitter account
The Marble Falls High School Mustang Band earned two recognitions at the Capital City Marching Festival on Sept. 25. The band finished second in the Best Band category and won Best Color Guard, both in its division.
“It’s a great feeling,” said band director Anthony Leflet. “More than anything, (the competition) was a great opportunity to get the kids out to perform and get some of their butterflies out of the way. The (trophies) are just icing on the cake.”
The Capital City Marching Festival is a regional competition featuring 20 bands that took place at the Austin Independent School District’s Tony Burger Center. The contest drew schools from Austin, Elgin, San Marcos, and Temple as well as several other Central Texas schools. Judges rate the bands on marching, music, color guard, and percussion sections.
“We go to these early competitions to give kids a chance to perform before (University Interscholastic League competitions),” Leflet explained. “It pumps the kids up, and I think it gives them a boost of energy for the next goal we’re trying to accomplish.”
During the festival, the Mustang Band performed an excerpt of its UIL contest show “Winter’s Breath.” It includes music by composers such as Danny Elfman, who scored “Edward Scissorhands,” John Mackey’s “The Frozen Cathedral,” and original works by Washington state composer Jeff Chambers.
The next stop for the Mustang Band is the Vista Ridge Marching Festival on Saturday, Oct. 2, at John Gupton Field, 200 Gupton Way in Cedar Park. The Marble Falls band, a Class 5A program, will take the field at about 2:30 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $5 for students in kindergarten through 12th grade as well as college students with valid identification, and free for children in prekindergarten or younger. Spectators cannot bring in ice chests or outside food or drinks. Concessions will be available at the event.
After the Vista Ridge festival, the Marble Falls band will compete in the UIL Region 32 5A contest on Tuesday, Oct. 12, at John Gupton Field. The event starts at 6 p.m. with Marble Falls scheduled to perform at 7 p.m.