The Mustang Band is flying high following its recent marching season success.

Sachse High School Band Director Holly Taylor said Sachse High School’s accolades include a third place finish at a Bands of America competition Oct. 8 in Midland. The band has also made the final rounds at a local competition in Wylie Oct. 1, Bands of America competition in Prosper Oct. 15 and competed in a University Interscholastic League competition Oct. 19.

“The kids did great; the microphones didn’t work as they should but those are things that we overcome,” Taylor said. “They performed really well and received great feedback from the judges.”

Last weekend, the band competed at the UIL Area C Marching Band Contest, where it qualified for finals and finished ninth before competing in a Bands of America superregional competition Nov. 5 in San Antonio.

“The band performed beautifully receiving a standing ovation from the audience in prelims and earned a spot to perform again in finals,” Taylor said. “Students performed again under the lights with great energy and received another standing ovation from the audience.”

Taylor said that the band will continue to prepare music for other regional competitions for concert band after a successful marching band season.

Additionally, students have long hours when it comes to a competition or practicing after school, said Taylor. Each weekend of a competition, students may put in 20 to 25 hours in addition to spending up to eight hours outside of school hours running through a performance or practicing their instruments. “It makes for a very long day but the students handle it really well,” Taylor said. “[At one competition] we had a long break after prelims and came back to the school for a three-hour rehearsal because it was during fall break. We can’t do that all the time but when we have a break, we’re allotted some extra time.”

For the full story, see the Nov. 3 issue of The Sachse News.