The instrumental music end-of-year concert and awards ceremony took place Thursday, May 28 in the Elings Performing Arts Center (EPAC).
“It featured the orchestra, the concert band, and the advanced jazz band, and it’s just the culmination of everything that we’ve learned this year,” said Aimee Ware, the Dos Pueblos High School Instrumental Music Director.
After performances by the three music ensembles (orchestra, advanced jazz band, and concert band), awards were given out to band students. These included DPHS awards for Outstanding Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, and Section.
Additionally, national awards including the National School Marching Award, the National School Color Guard Award, the National School Orchestra Award, Leonard Bernstein Musicianship Award, Quincy Jones Musicianship Award, National Band Leadership Award, The Louis Armstrong Jazz Award, and The John Phillip Sousa Award.
“I love giving the awards at the end of the year because it’s acknowledging the students who have gone above and beyond,” Ware said.
Many of the awards were given to seniors in the instrumental music program, especially students who had been in band for all four years of high school.
“Receiving the John Phillip Sousa award, I was tearing up,” said Dylan Ewing (12), a DPHS violinist and clarinetist. “Being recognized really meant a lot because I feel like I really do care about music, and I really want to do my best to inspire all those around me in the music ensembles.”
This year, 15 seniors will be graduating out of the DPHS instrumental music program.
“We will definitely miss them, but with them lots of luck in the future and hope for what they’re going to do out there and just keep playing music,” Ware said.
Some of the graduating band students will be pursuing careers in music, including Ewing who plans to become a music therapist.
Within the DPHS music program, most students said they had enjoyed their time in the program.
“I had a lot of fun,” percussionist Leland Robbins (12) said. “I’m going to miss band after high school.”
According to Robbins, the advanced jazz band “excelled” this year, although the other ensembles also performed very well.
“It was a really big success,” Ewing said. “I think this is one of the most successful and largest groups that we’ve had.”
