The Mineola High School band was all tuned up for a crowd of music fans, friends and family last Tuesday in the school gymnasium.

Being May 4, a selection of Star Wars music was included in the repetroir. Also on tap for Disney nostalgia were notes from Aladdin, which featured the entire low brass section prominently.

The concert band's reprisal of their pieces UIL concert and sightreading competiton made it evident why they earned superior ratings.

Among several fun, grooving pieces, the jazz ensemble tackled the challenging "Birdland" with aplomb.

The assembled audience got a small taste of some of the sounds the Swarm will feature on the field in the fall for their marching show about hometowns. If the brief preview was any indication, you'll want to see some halftime shows. Another trip to San Antonio for the state marching competition could be ahead, if the group puts in the requisite work that was earned them back-to-back titles.

Many awards were presented to the numerous outstanding musicians, recognizing their hard work, perservearance, leadership and accomplishments.

The prestigious John Phillips Sousa and the Louis Armstrong awards went to seniors Valerie Garcia and Jonath Esquivel, respectively.

The band boosters presented scholarship checks to seniors in the amount of $500 each to Makayla Skinner, Cam Ramos, Alana Galaz and Ellery D'Angelo.

They also presented Supt. Cody Mize with a piece of art to recognize his commitment to the fine arts and show appreciation for his part in getting the new band hall construction in the works.

Outgoing drum majors Emily Phonsnasihn and Olivia Toledo conducted the their peers one last time in a traditional passing of the guard, followed by incoming new leaders Cameron Bussell and Maddie Tucker took the reigns.

Jim Little, the Texas state chair of National Band Association (NBA)  share with those in attendance, "These kids are loaded with talent, exuberance and will to do their best, but in order to do all that, they need someone to guide them. Fortunately, Mineola ISD has the teachers who put in the time to teach, guide, motivate and help these students to elevate to an ability far above what they ever dreamed was possible."

Little recognized director Chris Brannan as the 2021 recipient of the NBA Citation of Excellence, an honor awarded to outstanding band directors whose ensembles have a historty of a distinguished level of accomplishment or to those individuals who have made significant contirbutions to the fields of bands and band music." Brannan was quick to credit his assistant directors and, of course, the talented pupils performing that evening.