Cumberland Gap marching band season review
Published 1:52 pm Wednesday, January 15, 2020
<p>Photos by Allen Earl | Claiborne Progress</p> <p>The Cumberland Gap band practices on one afternoon.</p>
<p>Photos by Allen Earl | Claiborne Progress</p> <p>The Cumberland Gap band practices on one afternoon.</p>
<p>Rain or shine, the band fully supported the football team.</p>
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The Cumberland Gap High School marching band once again made the community proud both on the gridiron and in competitions. Being led by Johnathan Elliott, the band improved and performed admirably at competitions. Here is Elliott’s summary of the 2019 band season.
There are 6-12 judges at each competition, each judging specific captions. Each caption is given a numerical score. The numerical score equals ratings such as Superior, Excellent, etc.
Superior ratings are the highest rating, and Excellent is the second highest. There are several ratings below these ratings. Some of the competitions did not use this system, and simply used only the numerical score to rate the band.
The bands are typically split up in “classes,” meaning they are competing directly with bands in their classes; however, they are also competing against all bands present, as all scores are comparable regardless of class placement.
The CGHS band competed at:
• Upper Cumberland Marching Festival at Cumberland County High School. The band received Superior ratings in Band, Drum Major, and Percussion, and Excellent for Auxiliary. The band and percussion earned first place in class;
• David Crockett Festival of Bands at David Crockett High School. Superior ratings in: Band, Majorette, Percussion, Drum Major. Excellent rating in Colorguard. The band earned first place in class in Band, Majorette, Percussion. Second place in class in Drum Major, and Colorguard;
• Spirit of the Valley Invitational at Hardin Valley High School. First place in class in: Band, Drum Major, Percussion. Second Place in Auxiliary. The band earned a spot in finals that is given to the Top 10 Bands who competed based on their scores for the day. Going up against some bands that numbered 100- 250, the band earned sixth Place Overall in Finals.
This year, the band earned its first ever bid to compete at the Division II Tennessee Marching Band State Championships. Overall, the band finished 23rd, Drum Major 15th, Auxiliary 24th and Percussion 21st. The band closed out the marching season by performing at the Gatlinburg Festival of Lights Christmas Parade in front of a live crowd estimated at 100,000 and televised in every state on the east coast and many in the Midwest.
The band also hosted its annual Christmas Concert with an excellent turnout of parents and community members that left no seats empty. The Upper Cumberland Marching Festival was also televised for the Nashville media market, and was viewed by approximately one million residents in Nashville according the Cumberland County Band Staff working with the media.
The Panthers are proud of their band and the community supports them fully making certain that the band program will have even more success in future years.
