Wildcats Bands Get Straight One’s At UIL Contest and Earn Sweepstakes
It’s been a very good week for the Wildcats’ band program. On Tuesday, the non-varsity band, called the Concert Band, attended the Spring UIL Contest and earned the highest score of 1 for their on-stage concert and for sight reading. Wildcats Band Director Spencer Emmert said it was only the fourth time in history for the Concert Band to earn straight 1’s. On Wednesday the Wildcats’ varsity band or Wind Ensemble went to Mount Pleasant and earned straight 1’s for concert and for sight reading. Coupled with the straight 1 scores for the band in the fall Marching Band UIL Contest, the band qualified for Sweepstakes. Emmert called Sweepstakes one of the most coveted UIL awards and the most coveted in music. Emmert believes this is only the second time in school history for the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble to both earn Sweepstakes. He is researching it. Emmert said sight reading is always stressful, not only for students but also for the band director. He said he is given a long piece of music he has never seen before and has three minutes to go over it. Then he said he gets about seven minutes to discuss the music with the band and another three minutes to sing parts of it to them. Emmert said the band students have to react to a lot of the new music on their own. The Sulphur Springs Middle School Bands go to the UIL Contest on Friday at Pleasant Grove. Emmert said next the band would be working on their part of the upcoming Fine Arts Showcase.
