Center Hill bands performed well at the state evaluation in Tupelo on April 16.

“Wind Ensemble got a perfect score of one on stage, but got a score of two in sightreading,” director Jared Ross said.

One is considered a superior rating. Two is considered excellent.

“Our scores were well-deserved,and appropriately applicable to the quality of the performance and performers,” director Jason Cole said.

Before she took the stage, trombonist Aeriele Dorris said she was confident about the performance.

“This is my third year doing this and I love music to where it feels normal,” she said about competing. “I’m not nervous at all.”

The piece Dorris said she had the most confidence in was David Shaffer’s “New World Variations.” However, she said she was less confident in was John Philip Sousa’s “Manhattan Beach.”

Dorris also mentioned being nervous about the sight-reading portion of the contest, “because it can be tricky and it’s the first time you’re playing it and you’re playing it for a score.”

The third piece the band played was John Mackey’s “Sheltering Sky.”

What made this year’s state evaluation different was that Ross decided to take the Concert Band in addition to the Wind Ensemble. Ross’ love of music and teaching his students about that love was his motivation for taking two bands.

Ross’ favorite piece out of them was also “Sheltering Sky.”

“I like it because of the image and relatability,” he said.

Currently, the Center Hill band is split into two bands based on the results of an audition that takes place after Christmas break. The Wind Ensemble consists of those who made good scores in the audition, while the Concert Band consists of those who didn’t make the Wind Ensemble.

“Concert Band is designed to be a developmental ensemble,” Cole said. “Wind Ensemble is supposed to be our flagship performers that show off the best Center Hill has to offer.”

At the state band evaluation, Concert Band received all superior ratings.

Both Wind Ensemble and Concert Band perform April 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the PAC.