The Jordan-Elbridge Marching Eagles placed fifth in Small School 2 at the New York State Field Band Conference championships, finishing their season with the program’s highest score since 2007.
The band earned an 84.9 in Sunday’s competition at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, according to a school district news release. That was more than a point higher than its score a year earlier.
The finish came after the Marching Eagles moved up from Small School 3, where they won the state championship last year. That title was the 15th in program history.
This year’s show, “Blast Back,” featured music from the 1980s. Director Dan English said the focus was on the band’s own improvement while putting on an entertaining performance for the audience.
The championship performance capped a season of work by the students and staff, supported by the district community and the band’s boosters. A community send-off helped mark the trip to Syracuse.
The program has been part of Jordan-Elbridge for 50 years. English credited the support surrounding the band as it took on the challenge of competing in a higher classification.
Attention now turns to indoor percussion, which won its first state title last year. The group hopes to repeat that success and pursue a national title.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.
