EASTON, Pa. — Easton Area High School Music program students got a chance to show off their incredible talents in the Big Easy last week, and the Beast from the East dominated the scene.
EAHS band and orchestra students took a trip down to New Orleans to participate in the Sugar Bowl High School Band Competition.
It came after applying to join the party, fundraising and waiting more than a year until they got the go-ahead.
And it was all worth it, as the Red Rovers dominated the show, securing a first place in finish in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Parade portion of the competition.
Perhaps even more importantly, it gave those budding musicians a whole new world of experience.
A busy week in the Big Easy
Instrumental Music Director Chris Ballantine said the group began the journey on Dec. 28, venturing down to the Big Easy for a week of fun — and intense competition.
Of course, the first point of order for Monday morning was a swamp boat tour of the Bayou.
“Then we checked into our hotel, and then our orchestra played at the House of Blues on Decatur Street in the French Quarter, which is a pretty neat experience," Ballantine said.
"Then on Tuesday, our band did the Battle of the Bands field trip competition.
“They won every caption award [awards given for specific performance aspects, such as best brass or percussion] and they also received the highest score out of any band in the competition and parade."Instrumental Music Director Chris Ballantine
“And then, while the band was doing that, our orchestra went and did a tour of Mardi Gras World, about to make Mardi Gras masks. Then we all went and the band performed at Jackson Square and did a little pep rally standstill performance.”
Students got some much-appreciated free time before they did a dinner dance event at the Bayou Barn, Ballantine said, and then things got amped up.
“On Wednesday, which is New Year's Eve, we did a brunch at a jazz cafe in the French Quarter, right near Jackson Square, and then we had the Sugar Bowl parade," Ballantine said.
"After that, we then had a New Year's Eve awards ceremony where the band received those awards. And then we had our own New Year's Eve party to ring in the New Year together.”
After all the performances and parades, the crew spent New Year’s Day visiting the World War II museum, taking a river cruise on the Mississippi, and then a quick stop at Dave and Buster’s before attending the Sugar Bowl game.
And while the extracurriculars make the trip seem more like a little vacation, the students truly gave it their all for competitions.
“They won every caption award [awards given for specific performance aspects, such as best brass or percussion] and they also received the highest score out of any band in the competition and parade,” Ballantine said.
'Really awesome experience'
Drum Major Sean Mattison said he enjoyed the opportunity to compete with bands from places such as Texas, Florida and the Carolinas — even if their practice conditions leading up to the trip were a bit different.
“They had rehearsals in 50-degree weather, 60-degree weather," Mattison said.
"And there was a day there where for our rehearsal, kids were out in the field shoveling the snow off the field, so that way we could even just rehearse on the field for the parade.
"We spent a lot of time inside, practicing just the music, and then spending very few almost minutes outside, marching around our parking lot."
But Mattison said, "I think the coolest thing was that standstill performance."
"The crowd was just a really big crowd, and being able to hear the band and see the crowd, and it was just a really awesome experience,” he said.
'All the hard work paid off'
Drum Major Lila Da Re said the experience felt very important, recognizing it’s not an opportunity afforded to every music program.
“It's not something that every high school student gets student gets to do, to take a trip like this and to go with people specifically in our band that we're all so close with," Da Re said.
"And we all spend so much time with each other, that it's these bonds of friendship and almost family like things that just make it so special for us.
“And it really, for me personally, makes me feel very grateful for what we have as a team, and for all of New Orleans to be there with that kind of rich culture.
“it just feels honestly really enriching to go somewhere I've never been before, most people have never been before, and to see all these new and different things that we can bring home with us.”
"I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting it. I was hoping for it, but I was just amazed to see that happen."Drum Major Rishi Konda
Drum Major Rishi Konda said it was an incredible experience to see different cultures from across the country, and all the incredible talent of other bands and orchestras.
“It was just awesome seeing like all the other bands, like in the parades, just hearing them play was really just an amazing time,” Konda said.
“Everyone was so amazed that we got straight clearing on the awards. Everyone was really excited about it; it was a really surreal moment.
"I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting it. I was hoping for it, but I was just amazed to see that happen.
"And it felt amazing to know that all the hard work paid off, and all these cold rehearsals in the snow and doing everything just paid off in the end.”
