VERO BEACH — A local high school band recently was announced as a Division Winner for the Programs of Excellence Blue Ribbon Award by the National Band Association, school officials said.
The Vero Beach High School Band, which has a symphony band, jazz band and percussion ensemble, received the honor and will be recognized Dec. 21 at the 71st Annual Midwest Clinic, an international band and orchestra conference held in Chicago, officials said.
Colbert Page Howell Jr. is the high school’s director of bands and Brandon Putzke is the associate director of bands.
“This award is based on several years of hard work and dedication. It also would not be possible without the hard work of our Associate Director of Bands, Brandon Putzke,” Howell said. “Our Director of Bands Emeritus, Jim Sammons, helped make this possible by building this program so many years ago.”
The Blue Ribbon Award is given to quality band programs around the country that display exemplary performance areas in various ensembles, school officials said. Band programs recognized with the award display a tradition of excellence and top performance achievements in concert, jazz and marching bands, and small ensembles.
Other requirements for the award include an evaluation of the number of students that continue to play their instrument in college and community groups, after finishing high school, along with judges’ sheets for Music Performance Assessments.