Lugo’s Winterline sweeps the competition and takes First Place at AB Miller High School

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Photo Courtesy of Don Lugo Percussion

Don Lugo’s Winterline received First Place at the AB Miller High School Winterline Competition on April 6th, 2017. This is the first time in Lugo’s history that their Winterline group has ever accomplished this high of an honor. Winterline season is now unfortunately over for the Don Lugo Band Department, but at their upcoming Spring Concert they will preform their award winning show Red one last time for others to see.

Mariah Marquez, A&E Editor

The Don Lugo Winterline placed First at the AB Miller High School Winterline competition on April 8th. This is the first time in Don Lugo’s history that the school’s Winterline group has received such a high and prestigious honor. The competition is an ADLA (American Drum-Line Association) hosted event.

Winterline is part of the band program at Don Lugo. The line competes against other high schools throughout its own season with a new “show” every year. The shows are original storylines with rehearsed music and choreography to back it, all consisting of the battery, and pit section in the Don Lugo Marching Band and even some new faces who audition when Winterline season comes around. Winterline season takes place the beginning of  Febuary all the way till mid- Spring. The drumline at Don Lugo gained attention around late last year when the line preformed a freestyle cadence at the “Glow In The Dark” rally, where they surprised the students with just how talented and entertaining the Don Lugo Band Program is and can be.

This year the Don Lugo Winterline show was titled “Red.” Red is a dark twist on the fairy-tale of Little Red Riding Hood. In Red the Huntsman actually falls in love with Little Red, but the entire time the Big Bad Wolf is following Little Red and the Huntsman to Grandma’s house, because throughout the show the Big Bad Wolf becomes obsessed with Little Red.

The tale of Red does not have a particularly happy ending, but it is definitely filled with enough talent and genius to take First Place at last week’s AB Miller High School Competition. The Don Lugo Band Director expressed his feelings on the glorious win by stating,

“Don Lugo has an interesting reputation out there in the community, so anytime, not just my kiddos, with the upcoming Preforming Arts department at Don Lugo and with our Athletics doing so well, anytime this school gets the recognition it deserves, it just makes me smile and makes me proud to be part of this [Lugo].”

— Don Lugo Band Director, Mr. Stephen Yanik

At the competition Don Lugo had the highest score of an 82.80 out of 17 schools. The lowest score at the competition in their division was 56.60. The Don Lugo Winter Drumline has put a total of 8 hours a practice in a school week, every week from December till now. In addition to the 8 hour practices every-other Saturday. Unfortunately the group will not be competing in the upcoming Semi-Finals or Championships due to the group having a large amount of musicians that are also in the Lugo Jazz Band, as the Lugo Jazz Band will be preforming in Reno during the time that Semi-Finals, and Championships will take place. 

 

The students of the Don Lugo Winterline pose with their instructors proudly. The first place trophy that the group is seen holding is not your typical first place trophy. The first place trophy is a drum head.

 

It is safe to say that the Don Lugo Winterline group has had a successful year. The students in Lugo Winterline would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Kimberly Cabrera the principal of Don Lugo High School because “she gets it.” In regards to Lugo’s Winterline season the Don Lugo Band Director Mr. Stephen Yanik expressed, “it’s been amazing, we made history again.”