Band to compete at area
By Donnie A. Lucas
For the second year in a row, the Albany Ragin’ Red Band will compete in the Area UIL Marching Contest on Saturday after earning a trio of Division I ratings on Oct. 17 at the regional contest.
The band will get a send-off at 4:45 p.m. Friday on their way to perform at the Albany vs. Hamlin football game in Hamlin.
Band members will present their contest show at 6:45 p.m. as a pre-game performance.
“We will leave the football game at the half after the Hamlin band marches,” director William Vaughan said. “We are going to get the kids back home to Albany as early as possible to get some sleep before we leave at 4:45 a.m. on Saturday.”
The area contest will be held at Lowrey Field in Lubbock on Saturday, with the Albany band marching second at 9:20 a.m., according to the director.
A total of 24 Class 2A bands will compete Saturday, with 10 qualifying for the finals. The top four bands will advance to the UIL State Marching Contest on Nov. 8-9 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Vaughan said that the band has been working to add visuals to the drills since qualifying.
“The judges like to see visual effects at the area level,” he said. “You really have to add some to place well at area.”
The band had a final marching clinic on Wednesday morning starting at 7:00 a.m., continuing through the band period with Mike Lunney.
The band earned a Division I in marching last year for the first time in many years, but scored a combination of two ones and one two from the judges. The group went on to score Division I ratings in concert and sight reading in the March to earn the first Albany sweepstakes award in 40 years.
“We met our goal of straight ones and qualifying for area, so it is now up to the kids how they compete at area,” Vaughan said. “We will be working hard each day, and we want to make the finals.”
The band’s contest show is entitled “Shine,” with music arranged by Luke McMillan and marching drills by Rodney Gurley.
This is Vaughan’s third season to direct the Ragin’ Red Band. His wife, Danna, serves as the assistant director.
