The Cherokee Band of Warriors took their talent to LGPE this Thursday, April 22 at Sequoyah High School and came out with top scores.

The three levels of band have been working on and perfecting two pieces each since Cherokee County schools went back into session after the two-week remote learning period in January to perform and be evaluated by a panel of judges.

The Cherokee 5th period band scored mainly excellent scores with one superior, the 6th period band received a perfect score, and the mastery band also achieved a perfect score from all three judges. The mastery band also was the only band from out of all of the schools to perform to get a standing ovation from the crowd.

LGPE, which stands for Large Group Performance Evaluation, judges school bands based on their performance and typically sight reading music. However, this year, the bands were not evaluated for sight reading and were scored only for their outstanding performances.

One unique piece from the mastery band, titled “Of Sailors and Whales”, featured a singing section in one of the song’s five movements. The members of the band put down their instruments and took part in a vocal movement, accompanied by melodic percussion and inputs from the tuba section. “Of Sailors and Whales” was also the longest piece, about 20 minutes long.

The mastery band also played “O Magnum Mysterium”, a piece focusing mainly on the wind and brass instruments. As for the other bands, the 6th period band played “Ammerland” and “Furaha” and the 5th period band performed “Chorale & Alleluia” and “Urban Dances”.

The CHS band concerts will be held on May 11th and 13th in the Cherokee auditorium. Check with a band student for specific times.

LGPE went extremely well! There’s always things we could work on to get better, but overall I think we had a great performance.

Lilly Graves, freshman in the mastery band

Congratulations to our Band of Warriors on their superior scores at LGPE!