BAND HIGHLIGHTS

In addition to performances at football and basketball games, the Dowling Catholic bands enjoyed a successful competition season and the opportunity to perform at several community events, including the Pancake Breakfast, Christmas Luncheon and the World Food Prize dinner at the Iowa State Capitol.

The Vanguard kicked off the competition season in September earning a second place in class, best percussion and best drum majors at Eden Prairie. They placed third In early October at the annual Valleyfest Showdown, and finished the season at the State Marching Festival with a Division I rating followed by an outstanding performance at the Waukee Invitational that evening where they placed third, earning the highest finish by an Iowa school.

In December four DCHS students were among the top high school musicians selected for the 51st Annual Drake University Honor Band

Festival. Congratulations to seniors John Haus (percussion) and Regan Pietig (clarinet) and sophomores Grace Aerosolphal (trumpet) and Abbie Rodriguez (saxophone) on this great honor. The festival provides high school musicians with the opportunity to work with the nation’s finest conductors and to develop their skills through rehearsals and clinics with Drake music faculty.

An additional highlight in December was the opportunity for the Jazz II and Jazz Ensemble to perform a Christmas Jazz Recital at Drake’s Fred (‘51) and Patty Turner Jazz Center where they were critiqued by the university’s head of Jazz Studies.

A semester filled with great accomplishments culminated with a performance at the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio where they were one of several marching bands to perform in the halftime show.