Cary Academy at Dixie Classic 4-4-08

Cary Academy Bands Earn Superior and Excellent Ratings

April 4, 2008 Richmond, Virginia

5 Cary Academy Bands participated in the Dixie Classic Festival in Richmond, VA on Friday, April 4, 2008. In its first ever performance for judges, the MS Jazz Band club earned a superior rating and the highest score of any of the groups from Cary Academy. In total, the 3 Jazz groups earned superior ratings and the 2 concert bands earned excellent ratings.

There were 22 band, jazz band, orchestra, choir, hand bell, and color guard groups coming from schools in Florida, New York, Maryland, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, and High Point, NC. There were 4 private schools and 4 public schools, all bringing multiple groups. It was an invaluable experience for us to be able to hear performances by our peers from across the country!

After each Cary Academy group performed, one of the judges met with us for a clinic session. Mark Camphouse, internationally known composer of concert band music, worked with the MS Band. Mike Davison, director of Jazz Studies at Richmond University, worked with all 3 jazz groups. Colonel Arnald Gabriel, conductor Emeritus of the United States Air Force Band, worked with the US Band. During the clinic sessions, we received high praise and constructive suggestions on how to improve further. It was an amazing experience to learn from a teacher of jazz teachers, a published composer and author, and one of the most eminent band conductors of our lifetime. Having Colonel Gabriel observe, critique, and work with the US Band would be analogous to having John Wooden observe, critique, and work with the CA basketball team!

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MS Jazz Band	MS Band	US Jazz Band	US Band	US Jazz Combo 3
Superior Rating	Excellent Rating	Superior Rating	Excellent Rating	Superior Rating
Recordings	Recordings	Recordings	Recordings	Recordings
The Judge	Spirit of America	A Night in Tunisia	American Heritage	So What
Blues March	Pioneer Songs	Misty	Alchemy	Blue Monk
Iron Man	Engines of Resistance	What Is Hip	Into the Storm	Groove Merchant

Excerpts from Judge's Comments	Excerpts from Judge's Comments	Excerpts from Judge's Comments	Excerpts from Judge's Comments	Excerpts from Judge's Comments
Mike Davison - Director of Jazz Studies, University of Richmond and Brass Coordinator for Interlochen Music Camp	Mark Camphouse - Composer, Author, and Professor of Music at George Mason University.	Mike Davison - Director of Jazz Studies, University of Richmond and Brass Coordinator for Interlochen Music Camp	Colonel Arnald Gabriel (retired) - Conductor Emeritus of the United States Air Force Band	Mike Davison - Director of Jazz Studies, University of Richmond and Brass Coordinator for Interlochen Music Camp
Fantastic! Nice solos.	You were well orgaized and mature coming on stage and gave a positive imopression. The performance doesn't start with your first note.	I like you playing the real bass line in Night in Tunisia (not what printed in this arrangement)	I appreciate your enthusiasm.	Bass, I like your sound, man
You sound much better than what I typically hear from MS Jazz Bands.	Band directors too often select "comic book literature". There is too much candy-coating in most MS band music. Your pieces are vitamin enrioching and high quality.	Great job everybody. A Night in Tunisia is a very, very difficult piece – maintaining the right tempo through the different grooves	Contemporary Band music requires at least 6 percussion players. It is too bad that 3 of your 6 percussionists were absent today.	Guitar has great style. Try to mellow out the sound, more rounded.
You all need to come to the University of Richmond NEXT YEAR!!	Your sound is good at medium volumes. Work on keeping air flowing to maitain tone quality at PP and FF dynamics.	It is really nice that you are using a vocalist on Misty.	Brass players must be able to buzz their music in tune on their mouthpieces only. If you cannot buzz, you are using too much pressure on your lips.	These are great tunes and I can tell you have listened to them.
I am so impressed with your solos. You are way ahead of where I was in junior high or high school.	Director - the band does not need an entire measure of preparatory beats to get the tempo. Don't spoon feed them. Give a one beat prep.	Piano, I really like the way you play. You have obviously listened to some great jazz piano players.	Flute, Sax, and trumpet players should work on playing legato passges with vibrato.	I have coached more college groups who get lost in So What than who get it right.
Great sense of style and Improvisation.	I have a very positive impression of your overall performance.	What Is Hip is such a great tune.	Watch and Listen - the band's tempo is not always the same as what Mr. Grush is showing you.	Tenor playing Miles Davis' solo on So What - nice
Excellent teaching and good choice of tunes.	Don't take a fine teacher for granted.	Every one of you guys can have good rhythm. It is not your director’s job. You have to do it yourself.	You are extremely well taught.	Very impressive performance. You are doing some great teaching.