This past weekend members of the Band Program’s two indoor ensembles, the Blue Radiance Winter Guard and Indoor Percussion Ensemble, had their final performances of the 2021 season at the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit Championships held in the Daytona Beach Ocean Center.

The day, which represented the culmination of months of hard work and constant adjustments as staff and members navigated the ongoing COVID-19 situation, started with an early morning at the hotel as the winter guard had breakfast so they could arrive at the Ocean Center for a short warm-up ahead of their 10:21am performance. The team went into Circuit Championships seeded at number two in their flight—and they did not disappoint.

The girls earned silver medals in the Beyond Division of the Scholastic Class AAA competition with a score of 78.25—making them the third FFCC medalists in Band Program history and the second winter guard team to do so.

After a celebratory team lunch, the Band Program’s attention turned to its Indoor Percussion Ensemble, the first of its kind competing in the Scholastic Concert A Class and the second percussion team to compete at Circuit Championships.

The percussion team—which is actually a combined scholastic unit comprised of students from Riverview High School, Chamberlain High School and Lennard High School—started the season as a marching unit, but after changes in enrollment the team reorganized and went under a drastic change in programming to become the concert ensemble they were in Daytona. Despite the many challenges the team faced, they still managed to take home fourth place and their highest score of the season, an 80.10.

Director of Instrumental Music John Davis said of the weekend and the teams’ achievements, “To say I am speechless is an understatement. These students and our staff have met challenges no one would have ever imagined—and they overcame them with determination, but also grace. I am incredibly proud of what they have all done for the Band Program and it makes me even more excited as we now turn our attention to preparations for the fall marching season with the Blue Coat Regiment.”

Congratulations to not only our students and staff, but also our Booster Board and family members who supported us all along the way!