The Aberdeen High School Band participated in a music festival competition in Atlanta late last month and came away with a dozen honors for the school's trophy case.
On March 26, 88 AHS Band members, under the direction of Kaitlyn Wittman, loaded up two coach buses and made the trek to Atlanta for their yearly out-of-state competition.
With plans to compete in the Atlanta festival's Concert Band, Jazz Band, Parade Band and Field Show Review categories, the students worked very hard for months leading to the competition and were prepared to take the stage, and field, for their performances.
When competition day arrived, no one expected Atlanta's temperature to only be 27 degrees at the time of the outdoor performances.
Undaunted, the students, who dressed in their spring marching attire of black dress pants and a short-sleeved polo shirt, still produced an excellent performance, despite the exceptionally cold temperatures.
Aberdeen Band members finished in first place in all four categories they competed in, with excellent ratings for Parade Band and Field Show Review and superior ratings for Symphonic Band and Jazz Band, all the highest ratings possible.
The Jazz Band and Symphonic Band, both only points away from perfect scores, earned Best Section awards for the sax, brass and rhythm sections in jazz band and for the flute and tuba sections in Symphonic Band.
Christian Olson, jazz trumpet, and Gregory Kitt, symphonic band French horn, also received outstanding soloist awards for their performances.
The Parade Band received the Overall Parade Award for being the highest scored parade band in competition.
In previous years, the Aberdeen High School Band has competed in various festivals in Pennsylvania and Florida as well as making a prior trip to Georgia.