Two Richland One jazz bands received high ratings during the South Carolina Band Directors Association’s jazz performance assessment. Crayton Middle School and A.C. Flora High School earned “Superior with Distinction” ratings, the highest rating a band can receive.
“The opportunity for my students to experience, learn, and grow is the primary objective. Learning jazz gives them the opportunity to be creative and freely express themselves as individuals,” said Daryl Byrd, Crayton’s director of bands and Richland One’s lead band teacher.
The Jazz Performance Assessments took place March 1-2 at Crayton and Newberry College. A panel of three judges rated the bands from 1-5 in various categories, looking for key indicators of a superior performance. Each judge’s score was averaged then the judges’ scores were added to get the overall rating.
To receive a “Superior with Distinction” rating, a band must score a perfect 15 points.
“I am so incredibly proud of these incredible musicians and am blown away by the talent that they all possess. The way they play together as one cohesive ensemble is extraordinary! I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for the Falcon Jazz Ensemble!” said Kevin Sweatt, A.C. Flora’s director of bands.
