Chapin High School band marches off with 3A state championship
November 9, 2014
CHAPIN, SC – Ask members of the Chapin High School marching band what makes the group a top South Carolina band and you’re likely to get a variety of answers.
“I think it’s the students,” said Band Director Kevin Herbert. “The students here are unlike any students in the whole state …Also, the community support is amazing.”
Band drum major Aaron Martin added, “We’ve had an amazing work ethic this year. We also placed an emphasis on performing, showmanship and just representing our band to the best of our ability.”
All those attributes and more helped the Chapin High School “Pride of the Midlands” band march off the field on Oct. 25 with this year’s 3A State Championship – their second state title in three years. The band first competed in the lower state championship Oct. 18 at Hartsville High School, earning a score of 90.575 to claim the lower state championship title.
The top bands from the lower state and the upper state championships advanced to the state championship. The Chapin High School band placed first out of the 19 bands competing in the final round of the 3A State Championship, earning a score of 95.2 and top place finishes in music and visual effect.
“The two point spread between us and second place was a huge shock to us…we weren’t expecting to win by that much, and two points is huge in the band world,” Hebert said. “We made changes in key areas this year…and we are so proud of what we accomplished.”
The Chapin High School “Pride of the Midlands” Marching Band celebrates after their lower state championship win. The band earned this year’s 3A State Championship – their second state title in three years.
At practice for one of their final performances of the year, the band divided into sections to perfect their skills in preparation for a halftime show during the Oct. 31 Chapin vs. Camden home game. The woodwinds and brass sections played through a litany of scales, while flag carriers and drummers made sure each flick of the wrist was in unison. Pageantry and precision are defining attributes of today’s award-winning bands, Hebert said.
“We’ve certainly upped our game in the visual department, and in all areas we put in the hours and hard work,” Herbert said. “For me winning this year’s championship was a little bit of a relief because we have been working so hard this year and we did have some stiff competition. We are looking forward to next year and ways that we can improve further.”
Martin added, “It definitely feels good to win a competition, but the greatest feeling that any band member can walk away with is that feeling that they succeeded after putting in so much hard work … I think we’ve done that this year, and it feels great to be state champions.”
