GHS Wind Ensemble Wins Citation of Excellence
The Citation of Excellence project, a competition division of the Foundation for Music Education, recognizes outstanding bands and orchestras in Texas every year. Georgetown High School has received awards from the foundation in past years, but when they received the Citation of Excellence this year, it was quite the unique accomplishment.
The Citation of Excellence exclusively honors non-varsity middle and high school groups, and this is the first time a performing program in GISD has received this specific honor.
“I was surprised and shocked when I received the news,” Weston Scholten, GHS Associate Director of Bands, said. “Preparing for submission felt like the season that would never end. It was really difficult literature, but the students were great and approached it very well.”
Each ensemble submits two different concert band recordings, and an adjudicator selected by the Foundation for Music Education comes in and chooses the top pieces. Out of the 96 bands that submitted pieces this year, GHS landed a spot in the top five, earning the Citation of Excellence.
The competition phase of the project is the submission process, and now GHS is able to enjoy the recognition. There are some congratulatory aspects that follow the achievement, such as an Album of Champions that will include all the winning recorded pieces for this year.
“It is one thing for a varsity team or ensemble to receive a top honor,” Scholten said. “but when you have non-varsity students winning those high awards as well, it can really show the community that the program itself is strong from top to bottom.
“For anyone – parent, student, community member – who has ever been curious about the GHS band, this honor is just evidence that we can do amazing things here and support kids as they find their true potential,” Scholten said.
To view the 2022 Citation of Excellence results, visit https://www.foundationformusiceducation.org/citation-of-excellence/2022-citation-of-excellence-results/.
