Although marching band season may be over, the new band director, Brandon Kiesgen, is still taking the Jazz and Symphonic bands to new levels.
Just recently on Dec. 1,the symphonic band placed superior at the band’s first festival this school year.
Not to mention, it was the first time in the [symphonic]band’s history to take such a high title at the Fall Concert Band Festival as a symphonic band.
Throughout marching season, the band attended various competitions and made their way to the Super State competition and placed third.
Kiesgan moved here from Basha and was formerly an assistant director for four years.
When the position opened up, he thought it would be a great opportunity to open up his career and applied.
According to Kiesgan, a first year band director does not normally do as well as the band has done this season.
Evidently, Kiesgan has broken the cycle and led the band to many successes in his first year, “I am very satisfied with the progress.”
As for next year, Kiesgan plans on continuing this progress, “There is a small senior class, so there probably won’t be that big of a difference [in class size].”
Because the majority of the group is underclassmen, the band will not face much of a size issue since it can only get bigger.
An increase in size would only lead to higher division competition.
The last competition of the season; the WBA Championships took place in Fresno, Calif. where the band took second in their division by 0.3 of a point and fifth place out of all 43 competing bands.
According to the Perry Bands Weekly (a weekly newsletter Kiesgan publishes for band members and their parents), the band accomplished a major landmark in WBA history.
They were the first band in the 2A division to win the highest music score overall.
Many of the band students appreciate the work Kiesgan is doing for the band.
“I felt it was a huge step and i think that the Perry band program has set a new precedent for itself,” freshman trumpet player Zachary Lovvorn commented.
