Grizzly Band Wins Award At Fresno Fair Band Review
For the first time in the history of the event, the Big Fresno Fair staged a Marching Band Review on Wednesday, October 12th. The contest was held on the racetrack at the Grandstand... with 20 of the top High School Marching Bands from
Band Reviews are competitions judged by the Northern California Bands Association, and include long established and renowned contests such as the Selma Band Festival in late October and the Central California Band Review. Bands compete in divisions based on size... under 50 members "D"; 50 to 75 members "C"; 75- 100+ division "B"; and 100/125 plus in Division "A". The Big Fresno Fair Review was unique in the fact that it was a "Sweepstake Contest", with all bands, regardless of division, competing for four positions. Mariposa was the only division "D" band competing in the contest, with half of the groups classified as division "A". "This is usually a very tough challenge for small bands," said MCHS Director, Dr. Phillip Smith; "We just don't have the numbers the big groups have so we have to be individually much better than they do." Some of the larger programs conduct auditions to select their best players, and march in a lower division. "It is not uncommon for a 250 piece band to pick their best 100 for a contest," Smith continued, "But we march with everyone we have and we are still a Division "D".
But, as the results of the Fresno Fair Band Review show, the division does not indicate the quality of the Group. P-2, Marching Judge, Josh Logins said this about the Grizzly Band... "This group is a perfect example of quality over quantity, this is a great, not good, band!" The other judges apparently agreed... awarding the Grizzly Band the Third-Place Sweepstake Award. with Washington Union winning first, Hanford West second, and Roosevelt in fourth place. Not only was Mariposa the only band not division "A" to win a medal, they were only 2.5 points out of first place. "A remarkable accomplishment," remarked Festival Judge, Carla Appelton, "You just rarely see a band this small, this good, nice big musical sound and they march great!" This is just another in the long list of accomplishments by the current and past members of this award-winning ensemble. Just this year alone, they have won awards at Forum Music Festivals, Mariposa Fair Parade, the Oakhurst Heritage Days... and of course. the Grammy Signature Schools Award. On October 29th the band will compete at one of
Three days later, the group will fly to New York City... where they will join 20 other Military, College and High School Bands from around the world in the "Band of Pride" Performance on Times Square. Led by Dr. Dale Dye, Director of the Notre Dame "Fighting Irish" Band, the "Band of Pride" will perform a salute to the victims and heroic first responders of 9/11. The next day, the Grizzly Band will salute
