Best of the Week 2021-2022: Excellence in College Prep

ST. ED'S MARCHING EAGLES KICK OFF THE 2021 SEASON WITH A GREAT START

St. Ed's Marching Eagles have started off the season strong after earning first place in their class for Best Music and Best General Effect, and placed third overall in their first 2021 competition at Erie McDowell High School. "It's thrilling for students to feel that 'first place feeling' right at the start of competition season, but we remind them there's still a long way to go before state competition this year," says Performing Arts teacher Lisa Hirzel. "The level of expectation from judges gets higher each week, and so our level of performance must rise to meet that expectation. It was really gratifying to also receive highest scores in Music and General Effect, as we've worked hard on those from day one in June."

With a focus on showcasing student learning and an intention to design a show that increased students' strive for excellence, this year's Marching Eagles competition show called "The Last Vikings" combines Led Zeppelin hits with Norse folk songs. "One of my favorite things about designing for marching band is that the shows should not be very literal, just evocative of a story or mood. The audience can fill in the gaps how they see fit. Rock n' Roll Vikings just seemed like a fun way to bring the music of Led Zeppelin to life," says Performing Arts Director Angelo Kortyka '98. "The show loosely tells a story while also giving us a chance to demonstrate musical and visual excellence through the development of that theme. I think it's turned out quite cool and look forward to being able to perform the show at a football game soon so a larger portion of our community can see it." Our Marching Eagles also had a successful turnout for this year's Homecoming game last weekend. Welcoming over 40 alums and Marching Eagles for a Day, St. Ed's Marching Eagles put on a great show. "One of our goals this year is to increase our contact with potential students and we were so excited to welcome a record number of Marching Eagles for a Day participants. We also had over 20 alums show up to perform with us as well. I love the Homecoming performance because it's a combination of the Marching Band's past, present, and future all in one place," says Mr. Kortyka. "This opportunity gives future students a glimpse into the legacy they can be a part of, gives current students a chance to hear about the band's past alums and be mentors to the potential future students, and gives the alumni the chance to see the seeds of tradition and excellence they've planted continue to grow and change over the years. I was so excited to hear the alumni playing in the stands without any assistance. They sounded great and I expect this tradition to continue to grow for years to come." The Marching Eagles continue their season this weekend, competing with over 20 bands from five states at the Bands of America regional at the University of Toledo. Good luck and Go Eagles!