With a top performance at UIL Band Competition Thursday, the Wildcats Varsity Band claimed Sweepstakes this school year. It was also a special day Thursday for the High School Concert Band.
Charles McCauley, Fine Arts Director at SSHS, said it was a historic day. For the first time in 30 years, the non-varsity band and the varsity band received Sweepstakes. The varsity band played a difficul nine minute piece to place. McCauley said there was little time available for the students to put together the performance due to limited practice because of weather and other complications. The sight reading had held problems for the SSHS band for the past two years. However, this year the music made sense as a piece of music and the students responded well to the accidentals in the musical score. Solos went well. McCauley said at least two freshmen students, one on clarinet and one on flute, had solo parts. McCauley said it was a great day.
Steven Proctor has been an assistant band director at Sulphur Springs schools for 30 years. He directs the Concert Band or what some would call the junior varsity band. The music that is played by the band is a grade lower but still challenging to the students during UIL competition. The Concert Band follows the same challenge of a memorized piece and a sight-reading piece. Proctor was delighted with the performance of the Concert Band as well as the Symphonic or varisty band.
