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School Bands Shine During Competition

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 9, 2007

BRANDON - The Bloomingdale High School football field exploded in light, color and music as thousands of musicians decked out in their school colors performed recently at the annual Florida Bandmasters Association competition.

More than 2,300 performers from 23 Hillsborough County bands competed Saturday, with feathers flying, metal buttons sparkling and instruments polished as smooth as mirrors. The bands competed for rankings from fair to superior.

The festival scheduled the bands according to size, from smaller bands such as the 2-year-old, 36-member Lennard High ensemble to the 247-musician Bloomingdale High band.

The music was as varied as the colors of the uniforms, from vintage Jackson 5 numbers belted out by Armwood High to Chamberlain High's James Bond themes and Gaither High's Metallica tunes.

Bloomingdale band director Jon Sever said the marching band hoped to mark its 20th year with a superior ranking as it prepares to apply for a choice spot in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2008 or 2009. They met their goal.

"From an educational standpoint, the Florida Bandmasters Association ratings are sort of our FCAT," Sever said.

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