Two Carter County high school bands competed in Music in the Castle Marching Band Festival in Bristol on Saturday.
The Cloudland High School Highlander Band won first place in Class A and the Elizabethton High School Betsy Band won second place in Class AAAA.
The Cloudland Band presented their show “Music of the Night,” which included the songs “Some Nights,” “Dream On” by Aerosmith, and “Music of the Night,” one of the songs from “Phantom of the Opera.”
Cloudland Band Director Josh Ogle said the band is off to a “great start.”
The Highlander band also placed first in percussion, visual effects, music, general effects and overall. The band placed second for drum major. The school’s drum major is Lakota Oxendine.
Ogle added the band won first place in all categories at The Apple Festival in Chilhowie, Va., last weekend.
“This has been a good season so far,” Ogle said. “We did not expect to do that well out of the gate. The students have been playing well and marching well but we didn’t know how it would play out. The kids have certainly earned it. They have worked hard and continue to work hard.”
The Highlander Band will participate in its next competition this Saturday, Oct. 11, at Daniel Boone High School at 3:30 p.m.
The EHS Betsy Band scored second overall and in percussion, visual effects, music and general effects in their first competition of the year. EHS Drum Major Hannah Manuel earned a first place award.
EHS Band Director Perry Elliott said the result was not what the band was hoping for but that it was a learning experience for the season.
“It certainly showed us the areas we need to work on,” Elliott said. “The students had a good time and it was a beautiful afternoon. It will be a springboard for the rest of the season.”
Elliott praised Manuel’s performance. He said her experience as drum major showed during the competition. This is Manuel’s second year as drum major for EHS.
“She did a magnificent job,” he said. “Her years of experience were obvious and her leadership paid off. She looked like a pro out there.”
The Betsy Band’s next competition will be the Admiral Cup in Knoxville on Oct. 18.