The Los Alamos High School Topper Band poses after their first performance at the Zia Marching Band Fiesta. Courtesy photo

LAHS color guard section leaders and drum majors posing with the trophies awarded at the Zia Marching Band Fiesta are, from left, Lena Romero, Erin Gattis, Remy Patterson, Luke Favorite and Kaitlyn Kuropatwinski. Courtesy photo

BY JEFF FAVORITE

The Los Alamos High School Topper Marching Band performed in the “preliminary” competition at the Zia Marching Band Fiesta at 9am on Saturday, October 15, at UNM Stadium in Albuquerque. The Topper Band was one of five schools in class 2A. When awards were announced at 5 p.m., the Topper Band learned they had won all four trophies in their class:

•             Outstanding Music Performance Class 2A

•             Outstanding Visual Performance Class 2A

•             Outstanding General Effect Class 2A

•             First Place Class 2A

The band’s score was 72.75. The top 10 bands overall would perform a second time in the “finals” competition starting at 7 p.m. The 10th place band’s score was 77.5. This meant that the Topper Band did not make finals, but they came very close. As the winners in class 2A, the Topper Band performed “in exhibition” at the start of the finals competition. Performing “in exhibition” means that the band is not judged, which relieves a tremendous amount of pressure.

“The band totally and completely knocked it out of the park,” said Topper Marching Band director Ryan Finn. “Their finals exhibition performance was amazing. It’s awesome to see what the students can do when they don’t feel the pressure of judges – way cool.”

The Topper Marching Band will perform their award-winning field show “Shades of Mingus” at Sullivan Field at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19.