Heaun Kim, cub writer
Beverly’s instrumental music teacher, Bill Bradbury, is rehearsing every day in his band and orchestra classes to prepare for the upcoming music festival, Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association Festival (SCSBOA). Bradbury’s goal for this festival is to achieve the highest rate, superior, from the judges.  His students are also working their best to live up to their teacher’s expectation.

According to SCSBOA website, the program is  a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural environment. It helps all students to develop a greater appreciation for music. This organization lets students explore both vocational and non-vocational opportunities in music.  Also, SCSBOA helps music teachers improve in teaching technique.

Like the title suggests, SCSBOA is in southern California, but the location of where the festival will be held has not been decided.

“Some [bands] are going to Long Beach and some are going to Torrance,” Bradbury said. “It’s [the place] all going to be different.”

Beverly has been attending this music festival for the last three years. Most of their ratings were “excellent” which is the second highest rating. Bradbury has also won a superior with his chamber orchestra. At the cite-rating, where instrumental players have to play a piece randomly selected by judge with only a few minutes to practice, Bradbury’s students were able to take home a few superior awards.

“I am very pleased with my groups’ progress,” Bradbury said. “I want to take what the judges comment on and improve along the way, and that is one of  purposes of the festival.”
Bradbury feels positive about his upcoming event

Bradbury was very satisfied with the Winter Band Concert and the students have good feelings about the music festival.

“We did really well,” Bradbury said. “It’s was the first concert for our concert band and symphonic band (band that is made of seniors and juniors who are skilled with their instrument and auditioned for it) earlier in the year, the students were all in marching band. So, in this year we were divided as two separate groups.”

Students have a positive view about the Winter Band Concert, too.

“I thought it was good. It think we had bigger turnout than most of our other winter concerts,” senior Daguan Lu, who plays the saxophone in symphonic band, said. “We had more parents to come and the last one was little bit challenging and I was proud of that.”

They practice daily during class, and occasionally during lunch. They practice whenever they can, despite their own busy schedule, for the music festival.

” I just want to do well on the festival,” Lu said. ” I think we can get superior with the band we have.”

Students not only practice what they are already good at, but they are also trying to improve on their weaknesses.

“We are working on our tone as a group and our conveying the style of the music, which is everybody adjusting their style of play to fit rhythms,”  Bradbury said.

Each individual student also work on their own weaknesses in their own time.

” I hope to improve my tone quality and my dexterity,” senior Frida Caro, who plays flute in concert band, said.  ” I want to play more challenging pieces that requires faster breathing.”

Students have to apply to participate in SCSBOA and anyone in Bradbury’s band and orchestra class can join. The music festival will most likely be in the third week of March. The symphonic band, concert band, chamber orchestra, and concert orchestra will be playing a melodic song that is on the required repetitor list. Their practicing, combined with their eagerness and energy, will surely pay off at SCSBOA music festival.