High School Musicians Sweep Music Festival

Every year Babylon High School students compete in a national or international music competition, and this year the BHS music department needed an extra suitcase or two to haul home all the awards won by chorus and band groups.

Babylon took first or second place in four events at the annual Heritage Festival in Boston, a judged school music competition, and won the overall Outstanding Band award for collective performance.

Music teacher Brian Kroll, who directed the Chordettes and The Babylon Express, choir groups that both took silver in their categories, said the music department trips are invaluable opportunities for students to be exposed to other schools and educators, and to compete on a higher level.

"These competitions give our advanced students a chance to be exposed to a whole other set of educated ears. The groups get coaching and advice from the adjudicators, college level music educators and composers, and get to compete against students from all over the country, " Kroll explained.

Babylon students competed against students who undoubtedly benefited from bigger budgets and student populations, but according to Kroll, they had a distinct advantage.

"This year we just had an exceptional group of students," he said.

"We challenged them, and threw down a gauntlet, asking them to perform higher levels of music, and they were equal to the task."

Each year several BHS students go on to pursue music studies on the college level, and the high level of student and community interest in extracurricular music helps keep Babylon's music department strong.

The Jazz Band and the Wind Ensemble, two audition-only groups of the most advanced players, won particular accolades at the festival, both winning a gold rating and first place in their divisions, which nabbed Babylon the Instrumental Sweepstakes Award, given to the school with the two highest scoring bands.

Other awards won by BHS included the Adjudicator's Award, the Festival Sweepstakes Award, and six individual student honors, as well as an honor for the entire flute and clarinet section of the Wind Ensemble. Teachers Angela Turk and Charles Leech directed the band groups.

Kroll is optimistic that despite budgetary pressures, community support will carry music education through tough fiscal times.

"As long as we are allowed, we are going to keep doing what we love to do. Losing support for music shouldn't be an acceptable cost of increasing focus on the basics like math and reading. Studies have shown that music education improves academic performance and helps critical thinking skills."

The music department trips are self-funded: BHS students fundraise throughout the year in preparation for the trip, a dedication that's matched by their dedication to their musical craft. At the festival, BHS students literally cleaned up, winning more prizes than there were available trophies, and last week students received the last of the trophies in the mail.