04/26/2026
Letter from the Podium of the Westside High School Band Room:
Since returning to Anderson Five, the band staff and I have worked consistently to build a thriving program that offers its students a variety of performance opportunities and events that encourage a positive experience within their musical education. During the 2025–2026 school year, our program made significant strides toward that goal. We competed at the national level, continued our success in indoor programs, and delivered outstanding performances at state events. These accomplishments reflect the hard work and dedication of every member throughout the year.
Below is a snapshot of the events and achievements from this past year.
Let me take you back to fall last, when our group took the field with A Night at the Opera. Throughout the season, we continued to grow and excel as we brought a blend of Queen music and classical opera selections to the marching field. During this time, we also stepped into a national-level competition at the Bands of America Tennessee Regional in Johnson City, Tennessee. There, our group held its own against some of the top bands in the country and received valuable feedback as we prepared for the SCBDA Marching Band Championships.
After the marching season concluded, several of our students were selected to participate in the Newberry College Honor Band. This opportunity required students to audition against musicians from across the region for a place in the ensemble. Those selected attended a weekend clinic where they worked with collegiate-level directors and performed challenging, high-level repertoire. After three days of intensive rehearsals and preparation, the students presented a final concert for the community, showcasing the skills and musicianship they developed throughout the experience.
Following the Newberry experience, our students immediately began preparing for the All-County and All-Region auditions. We were proud to have several students selected for the Anderson County All-County Band. These students earned their spots by auditioning against musicians from across Anderson County. Those selected participated in a clinic at Anderson University led by Dr. Pettus, Director of GAMAC, where they worked on challenging literature and refined their ensemble skills. The clinic concluded with a performance for the community at Henderson Auditorium at Anderson University, showcasing the students’ hard work and musical growth.
After the All-County Band, several of our students advanced to the All-Region level. At this stage, students competed against top musicians from Anderson, Oconee, Pickens, and Greenville counties for limited positions in the ensemble. Those selected attended a clinic at Furman University, where they had the opportunity to work with nationally renowned music educators while preparing high-level repertoire. The experience culminated in an outstanding concert that highlighted the dedication and talent of these students.
In addition to having students selected for honor clinics, our program also participated in several community events throughout the year. Our group led the Read Across America Parade at Concord Elementary and performed at SC READY pep rallies at Whitehall Elementary and Centerville Elementary. Of course, we also represented our school in the Anderson City Christmas Parade this past December.
Through these performances, our students continued to build strong connections within the community. As a result, several community members and organizations have reached out about potential events over the summer, giving our students additional opportunities to perform and give back to the community that so strongly supports our program.
The Westside Concert Band has also reached an incredible milestone, securing a Superior rating at the State concert assessment for the third consecutive year. This achievement is a testament to the ensemble's unwavering discipline and artistic growth, as they delivered a performance that fell just short of a perfect score by a single point. Beyond their prepared repertoire, the group’s technical mastery was truly on display during the sight-reading portion of the evaluation. Tasked with performing an entirely new piece of music on the spot, the musicians demonstrated exceptional focus and cohesion, earning a perfect score from the sightreading judge. This combination of polished excellence and spontaneous precision solidifies the group's reputation at the state level.
The momentum continued well beyond the stage as the Winter Ensembles wrapped up their competitive runs at the CWEA Championships. Both the Westside Winter Guard and Westside Concert Percussion featured dedicated students who delivered outstanding performances across the region throughout the 2026 season.
The Concert Percussion ensemble, in particular, achieved a historic milestone for both the program and the school by traveling to the 2026 Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championships. Competing against elite groups from across the globe, the ensemble delivered a world-class performance and finished the season ranked 11th in the world in the Percussion Concert Scholastic A class. This global success followed an impressive string of regional accolades, including a 4th-place finish at the WGI Atlanta Power Regional and another 4th-place finish at the CWEA Circuit Championships.
The energy within our music department remains at an all-time high following a wonderful Spring Concert held in collaboration with the Robert Anderson Middle School band program. It was a privilege to share the stage with these younger musicians, whose growth over the past few years has been nothing short of remarkable. Seeing the dedication and talent emerging from the middle school level serves as a brilliant preview of what is to come. This collaboration highlights the strength of our musical community, and we are incredibly excited about the bright future of our combined programs as we continue to build this culture of excellence together.
We officially brought the 2025-2026 SCBDA calendar to a triumphant close this past Saturday at the Solo and Ensemble Festival held at Dorman High School. Our program was represented by 11 dedicated participants who competed across a variety of events, including both solo and duet performances. The results were outstanding, with our students earning a total of 10 Superior ratings (the highest possible honor) and one Excellent rating. I am incredibly proud of these musicians for the initiative they showed in mastering their independently prepared pieces. Their hard work and meticulous preparation were evident in every note, providing a perfect finale to a historic year of musical achievement.
As we reflect on this historic year, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who made these achievements possible. To our students, thank you for the tireless hard work and passion you poured into every rehearsal and performance. To our administration, we are grateful for your unwavering support and belief in the value of the arts. I also want to thank our incredible band staff for their relentless dedication to our students’ growth and the continued success of this program. Finally, a sincere thank you to our parents; your support is the backbone of everything we do, and we appreciate the sacrifices you make to champion your students’ musical journeys. We are incredibly proud of how far we have come this year, and we are already looking forward to the heights we will reach together in the 2026–2027 season!
Musically yours.
