This past Saturday, March 8, 2025, Lafayette’s three concert bands performed at the University of Kentucky Windfest Concert Festival. This event went very well for our band students, as each ensemble received great comments from the judges. To name a couple, “…great articulation and clarity of notes,” and, “…good dynamic contrast,” were described.
The Concert Band performed first out of the three bands at 10:00 am. They performed “Prairie Songs” by Pierre LaPlante and “Military Escort,” written by Harold Bennett and arranged by Andre Balent. The Symphonic Band performed at noon and played “Allied Honor,” arranged by James Swearingen, “How Firm Thy Friendship” by James Swearingen, and “The Gathering of the Ranks at Hebron” by David Holsinger. The Wind Symphony was the last of Lafayette’s concert bands to perform, at 2:00 p.m. They played a variety of challenging pieces, including “Fairest of the Fair” by John Philip Sousa, “Only Light” by Aaron Perrine, and “Overture to Colas Breugnon” by Dmitri Kabalevsky.
These days are not easy and last most of the afternoon, as the Concert Band students started rehearsal at 8:00 a.m., and the Wind Symphony students didn’t get back to Lafayette from their performance until 3:00 p.m.
In an interview with head band director Dee Bishop, he stated that on long performance days like these, he sets “…high expectations and reminds students of traditions of excellence that the program has consistently shown throughout the years.” The Lafayette band establishes a strong sense of community and friendship among its members, which can help motivate students to get through long days like these.
Not only was this experience enjoyable for the directors, but it was also enjoyable for the students performing. Sophomore Ava Whipple, a member of the Symphonic Band stated, “By the end of the performance, it felt like all of the students were a part of a great project, and by performing as a team, the project was completed.” From this quote, it is noticeable how the feeling of accomplishing things with such a prestigious band program is a feeling like none other.
This performance was a great way for our students to receive feedback on the pieces being played and prepare for the District 7 Concert Band Assessment on Saturday, March 22nd. Stay tuned to The Times for more information on that event.
