The Hope High Band has just finished another successful week. After taking the trip up I-30 to Bryant for the Legacy Marching Invitational (LMI), the band’s performances won it first place in the 5A class and fourth overall in a competition that included many of the most awarded bands in recent years in the state. 

The band also won firsts in its class in Color Guard Performance, Percussion Performance and Overall General Effect.  Band Director Chris Davis was delighted with the results. “I went in hoping for third place in class,” he said. “We ended up winning first in class.” 

The band’s overall placement of fourth was a five-rank jump from last year’s showing. 

The two-week-old collection of trophies in Hope High’s Band Hall is growing and will likely need more room as Davis’ choreography and the band’s precise renditions of his exotic and original show continues to gather the praise of band competition judges. 

Meanwhile, this week’s Band Performer of the Week is Aaliyah Holyfield, a sophomore who shoulders a lot of responsibility in this year’s show.  “She's playing one of the hardest parts in the front ensemble,” Davis said. “She has been tasked to do multiple instruments this year. She was supposed to be on the xylophone, and this year, and we kind of gave her a lot of extra stuff, and she is killing it, and she has a lot of exposed material in the music. She doesn't mess up.” 

For her part, Holyfield said, “For band in general, I've been in it for five years, and I really love it.” She also credits band for helping her get through her other classes by giving her something to look forward to. She said she loves practicing her instrument and hopes eventually to be part of the Arkansas Razorback Band at University of Arkansas Fayetteville. 

The Hope Band Performer of the Week is brought to you by Inked Threads, a full-service screen-printing shop at 213 South Main in Hope.

Photos below are courtesy of the Hope Bands Facebook page: