Sanford to host bands from Maine and New Hampshire at Alumni Stadium

BY KEIRA KILKENNY, STAFF WRITER

The Sanford High School Marching Band is hosting the first competition of the season at Alumni Stadium this Saturday, Sept. 17 at 5 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for students.

This is the first show of the season for the Maine Band Directors Association.

According to Hailey Francoeur, SHS’s Director of Bands, bands will perform their own show to get comments from high-level marching arts judges and get scored on a one- to five-star rating, five being the highest.

The scoring categories include visual performance and composition, music performance and composition, drum major rating, percussion writing and composition, color guard composition, and overall general effect.

“Last year Sanford received a silver medal, with multiple five-star categories,” said Francoeur.

Francoeur shared that Sanford’s show this year is called, “We are Spartans” and focuses on the characteristics of Spartans along with the connections to our city. There will be voiceovers talking about Sanford Goodall Mills and a voice clip from Vic Firth, who graduated from SHS, as a preview.

Firth graduated from SHS and at 22 went on to become the youngest member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He’s the founder of Vic Firth Drumsticks, which is the largest drumstick manufacturer in the world. Firth was a leader in drumstick innovation and has videos and learning material to help educate young percussionists.

Francoeur said that she has an educational endorsement with Vic Firth that use to help her work and educate young percussionists.

Since last year, the marching band has grown from 24 to 50 members. Sanford’s band also includes students from other schools, Massabesic, Kennebunk, and Noble, that don’t offer a marching band program.