Press Release
The four-time Florida Marching Band Coalition (FMBC) finalist Newsome High School Wolfpack Marching Band will proudly host their annual Marching Band Festival on Saturday, October 26.
This event comes a week after Newsome placed 3rd in their class and 5th overall out of 27 area bands at the FMBC competition hosted by Tarpon Springs High School. Their score of 82.4 qualifies them to be one of the last AAAA bands to perform (top block seeding) in the upcoming FMBC state championships. This favorable placement, which is not an easy task to accomplish after only the first competition of the season, provides them a chance to be one of the top five bands, and advance to state finals.
The Newsome festival will include the talents of eight local area high school marching bands: Chamberlain, Trenton, Spoto, Leto, Springstead, Wharton, Weeki Wachee, Riverview and Robinson. Judged by a panel of experts, the bands will be rated and awarded according to their musical talent as well as visual performance and effects. See the band’s festival website at http://www.newsomeband.com/#!music-festival/cz2r for a complete list of adjudicators and awards.
This will be the first festival under the direction of Michael J. Miller, Director of Bands, who comes to Newsome from Robert Vela High School in Edinburg, TX where he served as Assistant Director of Bands. He holds a Master of music degree in instrumental conducting from the University of Floirda, and among his numerous accomplishments, was a conducting drum major and trumpeter for the renowned Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps.
According to Mr. Miller, “The Newsome Band will be performing their 2013 production, ‘Immortal,’ based off of the music of famed composer Ludwig van Beethoven. ‘Immortal’ uses such pieces as Symphony No. 7, and the Pathetique Sonata to depict the eternal unrest of a group of vampires, played by the color guard.”
After experiencing the complexity and innovation that is “Immortal” it will be apparent why the 123 member ensemble has been practicing upwards of 25 hours per week since summer break began. The synchronous changes of the color guard flags culminates in an unexpected, unique transformation of the entire ensemble that’s not to be missed.
The event takes place at Newsome High School’s football stadium located at 16550 Fishhawk Blvd. in Lithia. Gates open at 4 p.m. with bands performing throughout the day ending with Newsome’s presentation at 9 p.m. Judging commences at 9:15 p.m. Price of admission is $12 for Adults, $6 for kids ages 6 through 12 and kids under 6 get in free. Parking is also free. Festival food and ice cold beverages will be available throughout the day.
