St. Mary’s Wind Ensemble received a superior rating of Division 1 in the recent KPASS Music Festival on Thursday, November 14. The ensemble received nearly full scores at every grading aspect, achieving a remarkable score of 37 out of a max of 40. This is the third consecutive year receiving a Division 1, starting from the 2022 KPASS Music Festival. The pieces played by the ensemble were Xerxes(John Mackey), Adagio Sostenuto(Vincent Persichetti), and Abram’s Pursuit(David Holsinger).
Following the achievement, the ensemble’s conductor Jeffrey Griggs stated, “I extend my sincere congratulations to the High School Wind Ensemble for their exceptional performance and achievement. It is a testament to their hard work, unwavering dedication, and the unwavering support of our school community and WInd Ensemble Parents.” He also expressed his thanks to the leaders of the group, and the members who had to practice in the morning due to a complicated schedule.
The other ensembles competing at the festival were St. Mary’s Wind Ensemble, ASIJ Wind Ensemble, ASIJ Chamber Ensemble, Sacred Heart Orchestra, Seisen Wind Ensemble, Seisen Chamber Ensemble, Yokota Band, Zama Advanced Band, and CAJ Band. Following the great achievement, Mr. Griggs has turned the spotlight to the ensemble members saying that without the hard work and dedication of the students, none of this could have been possible.
