Odem Junior High Symphonic Winds Wins State Title!!!
The 2014-2015 school year saw the Odem Junior High Symphonic Winds continue an amazing streak of success. It began with placing the most students in the All-Region Junior High Bands of any program in the region, winning their fifth Sweepstakes Award in the past six years at UIL Concert and Sight-Reading Contest, and they can now put a huge accomplishment of the title of being State Champions in their book!
The band’s recording from their May 9th performance at the Director’s Choice Buc Days Festival at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi was entered into the Association of Texas Small School Band’s Outstanding Performance Series Competition. This competition was designed to allow small schools to compete for a prestigious spot on a CD that is released each year, showcasing “the most outstanding Class C, CC, A/AA, AAA, and AAAA concert band programs in the state of Texas each year.”
At the Director’s Choice Competition the students had already brought back the title of being Superior and Best in Class – but that was just the beginning! All three of their recordings from that day advanced at the Region Level to Area at the end of May. Their recording of Fortis was then very successful at Area, earning the title of Area Champion in the Concert Selection Category.
In recent history the Odem Junior High Symphonic Winds have made repeated trips to the State OPS Finals. This was the fifth time they have advanced and in 2014 they earned the title of State Runner-Up in the Concert March category. This year they sought to further improve that record!
The Symphonic Winds recording was heard amongst the best of the state at the State Finals on July 23rd. At this session their Concert Selection won the title of the State Champion of Texas for Class 1C! Their selection will now join the other OPS Winners on a CD that will be distributed to every 4A and smaller school in Texas. Mr. Williams will be given a plaque with a copy of the CD mounted on it to bring back in February at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention.
The Odem Junior High Symphonic Winds are under the direction of Mr. Nathan Williams. The Odem Director of Bands is Mr. Steven Rash.