Rangely concert band competes

Rangely I Despite competing against larger schools and being short on musicians, the Rangely High School concert band brought home first place and best overall trophies from Salt Lake City’s Music in the Parks Festival May 5.
The band, which vied for titles against schools from Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah, was short several players who decided to try qualifying for the state track and field meet instead.
“A French horn solo had to go to the saxophones,” senior trombone player Haeley Enterline said. “It all worked out pretty well. I was stoked that we got best overall.”
When RHS band director Jared Heaps learned that seven bands were competing in the “A” division for schools with fewer than 650 students, along with several others in the “AA” and “AAA” categories, he didn’t know how the competition would play out.
“I figured we’d do pretty well,” Heaps said. “But when I heard there were that many groups, I didn’t think we’d win the whole thing. Taking home best overall was a pleasant surprise.”
Despite acoustic concerns, the venue was a high school cafeteria, the band played both competition pieces solidly.
“It takes a lot of patience on kids’ parts to go through and fine-polish that stuff,” Heaps said. “The longer I’m here, it seems like the more patient they are. It takes time to get them to buy into the idea that (the extra practice) really makes a difference.”
The band’s two songs, “The Forge of Vulcan” and “Rites of Tamburo,” have been honed since earlier this year, when the group received feedback from judges at the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) Large Group Festival.
“We’ve been working on overall balance, dynamics and articulation,” Heaps said. “It all happened at the competition.”
The band held its spring concert earlier this week.
“They seem to be getting better each time they perform, and that’s the goal,” Heaps said.