Staff Report
Carter County Times
The East Carter Middle School and East Carter High School bands traveled to Morehead State University (MSU) on April 18 – 19 to participate in the Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) District 8 Large Ensemble Performance Assessment.
For this event, each band prepares two selections and performs them for a panel of three judges. Each judge then grades the performances in several categories, including blend, balance, intonation, technique, style, tone, and phrasing, along with other factors. The ratings from all three judges are then averaged for an overall rating of the performance.
After the performance, there is a short clinic where the group works on elements of the performance that can be improved upon by a clinician. This year both the middle and high school bands received a Distinguished rating from all three judges.
“I believe this is the first time that both groups have achieved that at assessment,” band director Logan Skidmore said.
By receiving straight 1s at District Assessment the high school band qualified for State Concert Assessment. This is the fourth time in school history for the band to qualify, Skidmore said. The last time was in 2017.
The East Carter Middle School Band performed on April 18. Their selections included Incantation & Ritual by Brian Balamages and Forward March! by Paul Murtha. The East Carter High School Band performed on April 19, and their selections included The Rowan Tree by Randall D. Standridge and Bunker Hill a concert march by Karl L. King arranged by James Swearingen.
KMEA District 8 Large Ensemble Performance Assessment is run by the District Assessment Coordinator John Johnson and was held on the campus of Morehead State University with assistance from Dr. DuWayne Dale and the School of Music, with Dr. Ben Cantrell handling Percussion Logistics. This year the judging panel included Dave Webber, Calvin Schmieg, and Michael Hudson. Tim Allen and Ben Hawkins served as clinicians.
The middle and high school bands will combine for their final performance of the year at the Memory Days Parade on May 25.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
