The Montevallo High School Band earned all Superior ratings with Distinction at the Alabama Bandmasters Association Music Performance Assessment (MPA) March 3, 2015 at Homewood High School.

MPA is the state-sponsored festival for concert bands in Alabama.  Eight geographical districts across the state hold MPA events.  Bands generally perform three pieces of concert music, one of which must come from an approved list.  Adjudicators from around the state and region critique the bands on their performances, including the captions of tone, intonation, balance, rhythm, and other musical factors.

A Superior rating is the highest rating available.  However, a band that earns Superior with Distinction status receives a letter grade of ‘A’ from each judge in each caption.  Three judges evaluate the stage performance of the band’s music.  After the stage performance, bands move to a secondary location for the sight-reading portion of MPA.  In sight-reading, bands review and then play a piece of music that they have never seen before.  After a study period of 7-10 minutes to look over the piece the group performs it for a judge.  The sight-reading rating is factored in with the ratings from the stage performance.

The MHS Band earned all Superior ratings on stage performance and a Superior rating in sight-reading.  Their performance earned letter grades of ‘A’ from each judge, resulting in a final rating of Superior with Distinction.  This is the first time Montevallo has earned the Superior with Distinction honor.

“A tremendous amount of effort and energy goes into MPA preparation,” said MHS director of bands Perry Lawley.  “We work and work to produce a terrific musical product and I’m overly proud of the students for their hard work that resulted in this high honor.”

“The level of success achieved by the MHS Band is nothing short of impressive,” said principal, Dr. Wesley Hester. “The tradition of excellence and ‘Troubadour Pride’ continues to grow at MHS and throughout the Montevallo community.  Our band program is achieving at greater heights than ever before and continues to rise. We are extremely proud of their success!”