For the second year in a row, the Broad Run High School Marching Spartans won theUSBands Group IIA Virginia State Championship.
Performing its 2012 show Odyssey under the guidance of band director Bram Smith and head color guard instructor Gina Corbin, the band outscored its competition in all categories. Besides taking first in the IIA group, the band also won each of the competition’s individual awards for Best Music, Best Visual, Best Overall Effect, Best Percussion and Best Color Guard.
At the state tournament, the Spartans also won The Cadets Award of Excellence, which USBands awards to the band that “best reflects The Cadets tradition of overall effect, creativity, and pursuit of excellence.”
The State Championship capped off a successful 2012 Competition Season for the Marching Spartans. In October, the band was named the overall grand champion in Class AA at the James Madison University Parade of Champions. In September, the Spartans also took the title for its group at the USBands Regional Championship at Herndon High School, sweeping all of the individual awards in that show as well.
At the Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association State assessments in October, the band received a Superior rating, the highest possible rating.
The school’s Wind Ensemble will vie for a Superior rating in the spring. If they succeed, the band will be designated a Virginia Honor Band.
