There’s a reason band instructors and fans adopted “Man, Oh Man, That Wildcat Band” as this year’s motto. The Sulphur Springs High School Wildcat Band on Nov. 9 topped off the remarkable 2022 marching season by adding a state ranking to the students’ accomplishments this year.
The Wildcat Band advanced to state first by earning straight first division ratings from all judges at the District UIL Marching Contest on Oct. 11, then followed that up with a second place finish at the UIL Area Marching Contest on Oct. 28.
The Wildcat Band took the Alamodome field Wednesday morning to perform the show they have been working on since summer, striving to get better with each performance. The students gave what band instructors called “an amazing performance” at 10:45 a.m. Nov. 9, which advanced them to the State UIL Marching Finals. Their performance at 9 p.m. Wednesday night was event better, resulting in the Wildcat Band, a group making state history just by qualifying and competing at the UIL 4A State Marching Contest, finishing 4th overall among all 4A bands in Texas, SSHS instructors reported around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday night.
This year’s show was designed to combine the fun a DreamWorks production with traditional smooth jazz and classical pieces in a way that leaves the audience feeling as if they are soaring along with the band. The pieces will include John Powell’s flight music from “How To Train Your Dragon,” as well as the version of “Fly Me To the Moon” made popular by Frank Sinatra, as well as operettic pieces by Gioachino Rossini and others. The fantastical program is designed in a way to allow a few exceptional students, including a drum major and oboist, to showcase their abilities by performing solos within the program.
As planned, the Wildcat Band not only soared to new heights of performance with the program, but also carry their audiences soaring through the night sky along with them.
Way to go SSHS Wildcat Band and instructors! Congratulations!
