The Spartan Band hosted their second annual band festival on Saturday, September 14, 2024. It was an unforgettable evening of music with 11 bands including, Seton LaSalle, Derry Area, Woodland Hills, Belle Vernon Area, Greensburg Salem, Yough, South Allegheny, Franklin Regional, Seton Hill University, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. These bands took the field along side the Pride of Hempfield Area, our Spartan Band. Our band performed their field show, “Don’t Mess with Dolly” featuring songs Jolene and 9 to 5.
This year’s event more than tripled in attendance. “Compared with last year, the size of the festival was significantly larger, so that definitely felt like a daunting task,” said band director, Mr. Patrick Kealey. He humbly attributed that day’s success to “all of the amazing support and help from band parents, staff, and of course the band itself.” However, Mr. Kealey cannot go unnoticed. He masterfully orchestrates not only this first showcase but all of the skilled performances by our Hempfield Area students.
The power going out in Fort Allen made an attempt at hindering the evening, but the team pulled together in a moment of panic to make magic happen. Kealey says, “Hempfield played and marched the best they have all season. It was our first time performing all 4 movements of our show, and it felt great to present that to our home crowd.”
Drum majors Skylah Harrington and Joe Coldren reflected on the excitement of the evening.
“It was so thrilling, and the energy was so high” says Harrington. “It’s such a different feeling than playing the halftime show because all of the fans are there for the bands. It’s less nerve racking and more comforting knowing that everyone is there to support [us].”
Colden agreed, “It felt very fun.” He says, “I thought that it was very cool to see the other bands and their uniforms and their halftime shows. Overall, I would do it again.”
Of the night’s many highlights, Mr. Kealey spoke of the how enchanting it was to hear Indiana University’s band play their original rendering of Amazing Grace, the university after whom Hempfield Area modeled their own noteworthy rendition.
All in all, the second annual band festival can be called a harmonic success. In the words of Kealey, “the night ended up being a great showcase for all of the hard work these students have put in.”
