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The “Fighting Indians Band” – Who We Are! We are the “Fighting Indians Band”. We are the face and voice of Vero Beach High School and have been for over 80 years. We are the “Spirit of Vero Beach”. We earn that title every year. We have performed at over 2000 events in our long history performing throughout Florida and from coast to coast in New York, Los Angles, Phoenix, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville, Williamsburg, Washington D. C., and Hawaii. We have appeared on national television via ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox Networks. We have performed in prestigious national events including, Bowl Games, Parades, Music Conferences, Festivals, and even at Carnegie Hall. We have earned over 300 plus “Superior” ratings at district, state, and national events since 1980. We represent among our ranks of members and alumni the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of generations past and present. We are the “Pride of the Treasure Coast”. We are the “Fighting Indians Band”, We are… NO ORDINARY “BAND” OF INDIANS! A Bit of Early History The Fighting Indians Band dates from the early 1930’s with the earliest known organized marching band dating to circa 1934 when the band was organized by Band Directors James and Thelma Crowley under the New Deal Era “Federal Music Project” which was designed to employ professional musicians and music teachers during the “Great Depression”. It is interesting that the Crowley’s were also the Band Directors for school bands in Melbourne, Fort Pierce, and Stuart traveling up and down the coast between schools on different days in the beginning. While we have some evidence of bands existing in Vero Beach in the decades prior to the 1930’s, bands during this era were likely “Dance Bands” or some type of “Town Band” which may or may not have been associated with the Vero Beach schools of that era. We do know that there was an outdoor “Band Shell” which was located just to the south east of the old Vero Beach High School which stood on the site of the present day Vero Beach High School “Freshmen Learning Center”. There is a commemorative monument depicting the site of the old Vero Beach High School located on the north east side of the FLC campus. We also know that the Fighting Indians Band did give outdoor concerts at the band shell until it was converted to other uses sometime in the late 1940’s or 1950’s. Note: Anyone having pictures or other historical information prior to 1980 that they would like to see added to the above synopsis may contact the band office at 772-564-5451. One of our “work in progress” goals is to include on the website a pictorial and written history of the band from the earliest decades to the present. Current Band Information (1980 to 2010) The current Vero Beach High School Band is made up of the following components: Fighting Indians Marching Band, two Symphonic Bands, three Jazz Bands, three Percussion Ensembles, various Chamber Ensembles, Orchestral Winds and Percussion, and the Flag Corps / Indoor - Winter Guard. The band program consistently receives "Superior" ratings and "Top Awards" at all phases of festival and competitive events both in and out of Florida. The band currently holds the record for the most consecutive “Superior” ratings at the Florida Bandmasters Association State Concert Music Performance Assessment (formerly known as State Concert Band Festival) of any band under the same active band director. The Symphonic Bands are the heart of the “Fighting Indians” Band program. These bands have received "Superior" ratings at the FBA District Music Performance Assessments for the past 29 years. The bands have also earned "Superior" ratings at the FBA State MPA consecutively for the past 24 years. Symphonic Band I has performed at the 1985 and 1997 Southeastern U.S. Concert Band Clinics in Troy, Alabama; the 1990 College Band Directors National Association Southern Division in Tallahassee, Florida; the 1996 and the 2008 University of Florida Invitational Band Clinic in Gainesville; the 1996 University of South Florida Festival of Winds in Tampa; the Southern Music Conference in Atlanta in 1997, the 1998 University of Georgia Honors Band Festival in Athens; the 1995 and 2005 MENC Southern Division Conference in Tampa; the Stetson University Honors Festival in April 2000 and 2004; the 2003 and 2010 National Band and Orchestra Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Symphonic Bands have also won the 1986 Nashville Heritage Festival and the 2007 Fiesta-val Festival in Williamsburg. The Fighting Indians Marching Band nicknamed "The Pride of the Treasure Coast," provides the color and atmosphere that makes Friday Night Football in the Citrus Bowl Stadium come to life with spirit so loud the noise can be heard for miles. Autumn week nights are punctuated with the exciting sounds of the band in rehearsal drawing dozens of people to the practice field to check out the band as it goes through it’s rehearsal paces. No outdoor civic event in Vero is complete without the rousing sounds of the Fighting Indians Band whether it is at a street parade or commemorative ceremony, the band is central to the success of the activity. The band has received 30 consecutive "Superior" ratings at the FBA District Marching MPA. The band has won "Grand Champion", "First Place", and a host of caption awards at numerous marching festivals around the State of Florida. Among these are the Pride of Florida Festival on two occasions; the Naples Tournament of Bands on two occasions; the Central Florida Band Showcase, Kingdom of the Sun Festival, the Isle of Eight Flags Festival, and others. The marching band has also won marching and parade competitions and superior ratings out of the state including the Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, the Fiesta-val Parade in Williamsburg, Virginia, the Nashville Heritage Festival. The marching band has also appeared in the Orange Bowl on two occasions, Walt Disney World on three occasions, the World's Fair, the Cotton Bowl Parade, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Tournament of Roses Parade; the Fiesta Bowl Parade, and also won the "Crowd Pleaser" Award at the Fiesta Bowl Field Competition. In Hawaii, in 2000, the band played on the deck of the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor and marched in the Polynesian Cultural Center's Celebration of Youth Parade receiving "First Place". Jazz Bands from Vero Beach High School are consistently rated “Superior” at the Florida Bandmasters Association MPA’s. The Jazz Band program has grown from one Jazz Band in 1980 to two band’s in the late 1990’s. The Jazz Band won the 1986 Heritage Festival in Nashville and the 2007 Fiesta-val in Williamsburg. In January 2009, the Jazz Band was featured in concert at the Florida Music Educators Conference in Tampa. In 2010, a third Jazz Band will be added to the program to accommodate mostly freshmen students. The Jazz Band is known throughout the community for its rendition of traditional “Big Band” Jazz tunes and for playing for a number of civic events. The Jazz Band is one of the highlights of the annual “Red, White, and Blue” Concert Series and always receives standing ovations from the audience. The Jazz Bands are showcased each February to sell out crowds at the annual VBHS Night of Jazz which features all of the VBHS Jazz Bands along with Jazz Bands from Oslo, Gifford, and Storm Grove Middle Schools. The Percussion Ensembles provide an outlet in addition to the Fighting Indians Band Drum Line for students to perform a variety of percussion music in one of three main percussion choirs or ensembles. Percussion ensembles along with many talented soloists earn dozens of “Superior” ratings each year the FBA Solo and Ensemble MPA. Ranging in scope from keyboard or mallet ensembles to a full array of percussion instrumentation in the larger percussion choirs to the newly established “Fife and Drum” Ensemble, these groups perform a variety of quality percussion music. The Percussion Ensembles are featured each year on the annual “Percussion and Chamber Winds” Concert. Chamber Ensembles and Chamber Winds are vital elements of the band program performing in a variety of instrumental settings including authentic Chamber Wind groups, Brass and Woodwind Choirs, Quintets, Quartets, Trios, and individual solo’s All of these groups perform annually at the FBA Solo and Ensemble MPA receiving well over 100 “Superior” medals collectively each year. New for 2010 was the formation of the Wind Ensemble which was comprised of top musicians from the two symphonic bands for the performance of the David Gillingham “Concerto for Percussion”. The Orchestral Winds and Percussion are selected from across the band program to provide wind and percussion players for the Vero Beach High School Symphony Orchestra. These students perform on a rotating basis with the Symphony Strings to comprise the instrumentation needed to make up a full symphony orchestra. The VBHS Symphony Orchestra has performed original symphonies by such composers as Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Shubert, and a host of other works by major composers. The VBHS Symphony Orchestra has received consistent “Superior” ratings at the Florida Orchestra Association District and State MPA since its addition to the music program at VBHS in 2000. The Flag Corps and Winter Guard, known as "The Rage", is the “visual voice” of the Fighting Indians Band. The corps has a long history of success not just with the marching band but also in the area of winter/indoor guard performances. This group has earned consecutive "Superior" ratings at the FBA Marching MPA since 1980. The Indoor / Winter Guard is consistent in earning “Superior Ratings” at the FBA District, State MPA, and at various regional festivals as well. The group has also won several “Caption Awards” along with “Superior Ratings” at several marching band festivals around the state of Florida (see the listings below in reference to marching band). |
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Copyright
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2010 Vero Beach High School Band