The top two bands at Fossil Ridge High School had the opportunity to participate in the State Concert Band Festival at Colorado State University on Tuesday, April 18. The festival included high school bands from all over Colorado, who were ready  judged after qualifying for the event at regional performances across the state. The Wind symphony, Fossil’s top band, and the Symphonic band, the middle band, both received superior with distinction ratings, the highest award possible.

Both symphonic and wind symphony have been working hard to perfect their pieces for the festival to showcase their best skills as individual musicians and as an ensemble. The symphonic band performed two songs: Samuel Hazo’s “Fantasy on a Japanese Folk Song” and Robert Sheldon’s “Longford Legend”, an Irish folksong. Wind symphony performed  “Shepherd’s Hey” by Percy Grainger, “Irish Tune from County Derry” also by Percy Grainger, and “San Antonio Dances” by Frank Ticheli.

One thing to be noted that was a highlight for the bands was that the band director, Daniel Berard, walked off the stage for the wind symphony’s second song, “Irish Tune from County Derry”, as it was done in a chamber style with no conductor. This was a real challenge for the students, because they had to listen intently to their peers and make sure they stayed in time.

Fossil’s bands are something for a community to be proud about. Both symphonic and wind symphony players are recognized for their hard work in a school that supports the arts well within the community. With ratings that are recognizable all over the country as amazing, the students who worked so hard on their pieces deserve a round of applause.