All four Utica Community Schools bands earn superior ratings

All four Utica Community Schools high school bands have taken top honors at a recent regional competition.

Eisenhower, Henry Ford, Utica and Stevenson bands received the top Division 1 ratings from judges at the annual Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association (MSBOA) District 16 Marching Band Festival.

The students were honored at the November 14 Board of Education meeting.

"We could not have been more proud of the performances of the Utica Community Schools students at the festival," superintendent Dr. Christine Johns said. "Our students were just stellar."

The UCS bands earned honors for their half-time shows:

• Chieftain Marching Band - Band to the Future
• Eagle Marching Band - Ike Band World Tour
• Titan Marching Band - Friends
• Falcon Marching Band - Get Up and Dance

More than 1,300 students from Macomb and Oakland Counties performed at the festival, held at Utica High School.

Each school's performance was graded by three judges, one each for music, marching, and general effect.