Band earns 2nd straight Sweepstakes
By Donnie A. Lucas
For a second consecutive year, the Albany High School band earned a pair of Division I ratings at the UIL Region 2 East Zone Concert and Sight Reading contest in Abilene on Tuesday, March 28 to earn the coveted Sweepstakes Award for the group.
Albany was given three Division I ratings in both concert and sight reading by the panel of three judges in each contest to clinch the award again this year.
The band also earned three Division I ratings in marching last fall from the judges, which when combined with the pair of Division I’s earned Tuesday qualifies the group for the Sweepstakes Award.
Albany won the Sweepstakes both in 1962 and 1982, but last year’s honor was the first in 40 years.
“The kids played great and with a lot of maturity,” director William Vaughan said. “Our goal this year was to earn across-the-board Division I ratings in each of the three contests, and that is just what the kids did.”
This is Vaughan’s third year as director of the Ragin’ Red Band. He is assisted by his wife, Danna, who teaches music at the elementary level as well.
The band won a Division 2 in marching in 2020, followed by a pair of Division I ratings in concert and sight reading during Vaughan’s first year at the helm.
Last year, the group received three Division I ratings for the Sweepstakes, but had a single Division II from one of the three judges in concert, which still averaged to an overall Division I when added to the other judge’s scores.
“We have worked hard to achieve all Division I’s this year, which is a total of nine,” the director said. “You just can’t ask any more than that from a group of students.”
He added that the judges were “blown away with how our kids played, which is a great compliment.”
The group, which includes students in grades eight through 12, played three concert selections: The Red Cape, Hypnotic Fire Flies, and Heroes Triumphant.
Vaughan said that the group will travel to San Antonio on March 31 through April 2 for the spring band trip.
They will perform their concert selections at The American Classic Bluebonnet Festival, along with visiting the Alamo, Fiesta Texas, and Sea World.
Vaughan said the group will begin working on music for the end of the year concert. The group may present some of their concert selections at the spring concert in May.
“We are all so glad to have this behind us and continue to work on music for the final concert,” he said.
