On Saturday, October 29th, 2022, Cypress Bay High School will be hosting for the 1st time the annual Marching Band Assessment. They will welcome approximately 30 local marching bands to the school stadium.
The Musical Performance Assessment (MPA) is not a competition. Held annually by the Florida Bandmasters Association (FBA) from October to April each year, it does assessments in the following categories: marching band, concert band, jazz band, solos, and small ensembles. Each performing individual or ensemble is judged by professional musicians and granted a special grade, from ‘good’ to ‘superior’ performance. The Marching Band assessment includes choreography, and visual effects and adds special recognition of the Color Guard Team performance in each show.
Stephanie Bescherelle, President of the Cypress Bay Band Boosters, says, “We are delighted to host this event. It is a big honor for our band program. We welcome the community to stop by, even for an hour or two, and discover the beauty and creativity that go into a marching band show. There will be 30 fantastic performances to enjoy and cheer on.
Last year, under the direction of Brett Dawson, Cypress Bay’s “Sound of Thunder” won the ‘Otto J. Kraushaar Award’ given to those band programs in the state that have earned straight superior ratings at all FBA events, from all judges, at the county and state level, during a single school year. Dawson has been involved in local and state music organizations and hosted the Marching MPA for over 10 years when he was at Coral Springs High School. David Smith, President of the Broward Wildcats Band Booster Association at Western High School, says, “We will never forget the shrieks of happiness and tears of joy that came from our kids when we were honored with the highest possible rating, Straight Superiors, at the 2021 show. We can’t wait for October 29th, and we are absolutely thrilled that our friends at Cypress Bay are hosting. This is the marching band show of the year and it is not to be missed!”
The Weston Music Society supports scholarships for senior graduates continuing their music studies in college and the music programs at both Cypress Bay High School and Western High School. Gina Catone, President of the Weston Music Society, is delighted our residents have this opportunity to view such talented student musicians. She says, “This is great for all ages, especially young children who might be interested in playing an instrument and joining a band in middle or high school. We enjoy working with music programs at all Weston schools, K-12th grades, as well as Western High School. It is so gratifying to see the students admire how well their peers play as they grow to appreciate music.”
The event will be held at the Cypress Bay Football Stadium from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. $10 entrance tickets will be sold on-site, cash only, and parking will be $5, mainly in the student parking lot. Updates will be shared on social media – Facebook @cypressbayband, Twitter @BandCBHS – and on their website:
www.cypressbaysoundofthunder.com.
