The most important performance of the Bloomingdale Rajun Bull Marching Band’s marching season was the FBA festival. The FBA festival was when all the marching bands of all the high schools in Florida came together on a Saturday and were graded by a panel of judges based on the accuracy of the band’s various formations on the field, and how the way the music was played versus the way it was supposed to be played. The band could earn a superior, excellent, good, fair, or a poor rating (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 in order of best to worst). Mr. Jon Sever’s marching ensemble had practiced for countless numbers of hours t0 perfect their Journey-inspired show, and it had all come down to this. It was now or never. After the final note on the closing song, the students waited impatiently to find out the rating they had received.
“I was praying the whole time,” said freshman baritone player Cameron Clark.
Then, the announcer finally said, ” Bloommingdale High School… SUPERIOR!”
The audience roared with approval. Mr. Jon Sever, the band clinician, later commented on how well the band had done.
“The band did very well,” he said.” Their [performance earned them] some of the highest marks they’ve gotten.”
