The Magnet Cove band performed for the first time at the Peach Bowl Music Festival in Atlanta last weekend.
Andy Beck, Magnet Cove band director, said the band performed in three different competitions over three different days. They had a field competition on Friday, a parade competition on Saturday and a concert competition on Sunday.
"We had a first-place rating in concert. We had a second-place rating in field show and parade," Beck said.
The band also received Most Outstanding Instrument Section, Trumpets, according to an email.
The group has been preparing for the field competition since July and began preparing for the concert competition in early December, he said.
Beck said the Peach Bowl committee sent out invitations to audition for the festival and Magnet Cove was one of five bands nationwide selected to compete in the 2019 competitions.
"They had bands that were bigger than us, and then they had a band that was about the same size as us. What happened was that the two bigger bands competed against each other and the three smaller bands competed again each other. Then, you are placed based on your score," Beck said. "You just go out and play, and wherever the chips may fall, that is where you land."
The fact the band placed shows that the students are determined to put in the hard work to succeed, he said, noting it shows the determination they have to learn, such as drills in their marching show and new music for concerts.
"Playing in things like this teaches the kids to focus. It teaches them that their hard work does pay off, and it teaches them perseverance. It teaches them a lot of things about teamwork and what hard work does for them and what their work does for them personally," Beck said.
"Overall, the kids performed well, and that is what it was all about just going and performing well," he said.
The band's biggest rival was South Central Trojan Band in Greenwich, Ohio, which was in the same division as Magnet Cove, he said.
"We were the only band in Arkansas that competed in this festival," Beck said.
Beck's process was that he had to fill out paperwork, submit a video of the band playing their halftime performance piece on the field, and have an interview with the Peach Music Festival committee, he said.
The band started fundraising in early March of 2019 and was able to raise $67,000 in nine months.
"A big thank you to all the people that donated money to help us get there. A big thank you to the parents that took time out of their schedule to go with us and a big thank you to the kids for not giving up and a big thank you to the kids for doing what they were supposed to do," Beck said.
Local on 01/01/2020