Letter: Band tournament impresses
I am so proud of the Madera South High School Stallions Band and the Madera High School Marching Band that I’d take all of the band and color guard members, directors, sponsors, and band parents on a celebratory cruise — if only I had the money. My daughter and I attended the 5th Heart of California Tournament of Champions competition that was held Saturday evening, Nov. 15, at Memorial Stadium in Madera.
To say that I was impressed is an understatement. When I watched Madera High perform, I thought it couldn’t get better than that. How could any other high school in the Class AA division possibly top that performance? But I was wrong.
Four high schools later, Madera South took the field and I began to wonder. Was it my biased imagination (my granddaughter Bethany is a Madera South band member), or were these kids really very good? Apparently the judges agreed with me and awarded first place to Madera South and second place to Madera High. (Can it get any better that then that for Madera?)
I noted, also, that Madera South won four Caption Awards including Best Music and Best Effect and Madera High one for Percussion — really awesome in my opinion.
After we watched outstanding performances by 16 high schools, and before the awards ceremony, the Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band treated us to an exhibition. They ended their performance by storming the grandstands, tooting and blowing as they went. WOW!
I look back on last Saturday and wonder, where else could I spend an entire evening being entertained by some of the best young talent for $10 or less a ticket? And, although my granddaughter will be gone from the Madera South Band next year (she is a senior), I still want to attend future competitions. Is there such a program as an “Adopt a Band Grandchild” for the Tournament of Champions Day?
Viola J. Turner,
Madera
