Setting the gold standard

AMHERST - The local high school's senior concert band once again proved it can make music with the best of them.
Ninety-two students in the Amherst Regional High School senior concert band took home gold standard honours from the Atlantic Band Festival held at Mount Saint Vincent University at the beginning of the month.
"The festival isn't bands from just Atlantic Canada - there are groups from the United States and all across Canada," said music teacher Susan Taylor.
"When school bands go on trips, a lot of them go in May, so the Atlantic Band Festival is a popular destination. There were about 3,000 to 4,000 students participating, maybe more."
Participating bands aren't ranked by places such as first, second and third. Instead, they have to meet certain standards of excellence criteria set out for the category they're competing in.
"You could have 30 bands in your category and none of them could win gold standards, or you could have 30 bands and all of them win gold standards," Taylor said.
"We never know how many win gold standards."
Every year, the senior concert band travels to compete in various festivals.
They attend the Atlantic Band Festival every second year, with the band also leaving with a gold standard two years ago.
"On the off year, I try to find a festival somewhere feasible for everybody to travel to," Taylor said.
For example, the senior concert band went to Boston last year to compete at Festivals of Music, where the musicians walked away with a level of excellence award for their efforts.
Of the 92 musicians, 31 are graduating students this year.

rtetanish@amherstdaily.com