So after yesterday’s bus debacle, Koa’s high school band performed at 9:30 am in the preliminary competition, and scored third in their class, which meant they earned a position in the finals, which are held in the evening. It’s pretty impressive that they did so well after waking up super-early (I dropped him off at the high school at 4 am).

But what is even more amazing, is that in the finals, which started at 7:30 pm, they came in third place, which is the highest they’ve ever achieved at Bands of America! They have a fantastic show this year, but honestly, we kind of knew two other bands would capture the top spots. It was just a question of where Koa’s band would end up. All the bands in the finals are really terrific, so when they kept announcing the bands (in order from 14th on up) and Koa’s band wasn’t mentioned, Mariko and I were very excited. And when they announced 4th place, and it wasn’t Koa’s band, I was very happy – a third place finish (out of a total of 64 in all) is awesome!

This is the last marching competition that they will participate in this year and what a finale! Next weekend the drumline goes up to Dallas to compete, and of course there are a few more football games to perform at, but I think the pressure is off for the band kids. Another fun season (for the band parents too) is in the books.

I hope you had a nice day!

またね～

こんばんは。How’s it going?

Koa’s high school marching band took part in their first competition of the season, and they did great, finishing 4th place out of 26 bands. Their show this year is pretty good, and of course they spend so much time practicing every day. Mariko and I watched all the finalists’ performances, and they were all awesome! I’m not really very competitive so I don’t get too caught up in the results (at least I try not to) but it’s great to hear and see all the different shows.

Each and every one of these student musicians is really dedicated in order to perform at this level, and it’s really cool to see them all cheering the other bands on. It’s really like a big family, and in this age of social media, they know a lot of the students of the other schools. Band is like one humongous family! Very cool!

I hope you had a great day!

またね～

It’s true that high school football is a big deal in Texas (just look how big the stadium is), but also true is that high school marching band is huge. Koa’s high school goes all-in on the band, with long hours of practice to give them a great chance to do well in the competitions. Last year, they won the UIL state championship, which was the first time ever for the school! This year’s show is another high-concept piece, and I’m hoping they do great. Not sure if they can top last year, but I’m just hoping Koa enjoys this season as much as last.

On a related note, the football team has started the season undefeated at 2-0 which is a pleasant surprise. Last season they won only two games the whole year, so I’m sure these kids are pretty stoked.

I hope you had a great day!

またね～