The Evans High School Band is a decorated double-threat, with several awards and appeal to mainstream audiences and beyond.
The Evans High Football Marching Band has 130 students who perform during Friday night football games. This year, the band’s theme for shows is music by the rock group Queen.
“I typically pick things that are more crowd friendly,” said Evans High Band Director Zachary Bradley. “There’s not as much moving, a lot more standing still and loud playing.”
The competition band, however, has only 110 students. Most of the students in the competition band also play for the football marching band, but along with the pieces for the halftime shows, they must learn a complete drill, field routine and different music.
“The kids aren’t just marching,” said Bradley. “They’re dancing some, they’re running around the field, they’re playing much harder music. There are more elements that go into it.”
While competition band is more intricate, it also gives students a chance to experiment with more obscure and complicated sets. This year, the band is performing and original composition by Rob Stein entitled “Cirque Noir,” a darker set that thematically explores the more haunted side of the circus.
“It’s definitely a lot different,” said Daniel Lee, Evans High senior and band captain. “It really shows how artistic we can be. Our football band is definitely more crowd-pleasing, playing more music that people recognize; whereas in competition band, we can be more elaborate more expressive, not just with our playing but with our bodies.”
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The band’s arduous practice has paid off. The competition band earned a slew of awards competing at the Berkmar High School Marching Band Invitational Competition in Lilburn, Ga. on Oct. 16.
Going up against 15 marching bands throughout the state, Evans High School won first place drum major, color guard, percussion and music; as well as earning a superior rating for the band, first place as a Class AAA (a division based on the number of students) and second place overall.
The band also won several top places in the Grovetown Warrior Invitational at Grovetown High School on Oct. 2, including a superior rating for overall band and first place band in AAA.
The Evans High School Competition Band earned a superior rating for the Class 3 division at the Berkmar Invitational. Photo courtesy of Zachary Bradley. 
Evans High School Competition Band during practice. Staff photo by Skyler Q. Andrews.
Bradley, along with being proud of the band’s victories, notes the uniqueness of the experience for the students encountering other bands’ creativity. The Berkmar Invitational feature bands with more traditional or show-style, as well as bands that played in a more core, or military-based style like Evans High.
“Part of the thing about going to competitions is, while of course winning feels good, we do it more so we can show off how hard we’ve been working,” said Bradley. “And then we also get to see other people’s products based on how hard they’ve worked as well. I think that gives the students some external motivations because they get to see what other people around the state are doing.”
Bradley, who has been at Evans High for six years, tries to instill in his students a foundational understanding of the purpose of marching band. One purpose, he says, is to support the community and the football team with its Friday night performances. The other, for those interested, is to create art. He drives all of this home with the mantra, “Last time, best time,” meaning the band should strive for each should be the best performance.
“I tell the kids at the end of the day it’s all music,” said Bradley. “As long as we’re all having fun and producing a product that we feel good about, that’s what I want them to be focused on.”
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering Columbia County with The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
