CHS Press Release by Chris Sweeney
Last year, the Carbon High Marching Band and Color Guard won their very first State Title. It did not take them long to earn number two. The band has recently found great success in St. George, Utah, the site of the Utah Music Education Association (UMEA) State Marching Band Championship, also known as the Red Rocks Invitational. The annual event, hosted by Utah Tech University, has seen the Dinos place in the top three spots consecutively over the last four years. They were runners-up in 2022 before besting the field last year.
Throughout the 2024 season, along with 3A mainstays Delta, Canyon View, and Ogden High Schools, Carbon competed against Ridgeline, Mountain Crest, Toole, Kelly Walsh (Montana), and Elko (Nevada). Each competition always came with a challenge, but the band would rise to the occasion and perform well.
At the State competition, the Color Guard earned their first ever State Color Guard Caption award. This award is given to the Color Guard with the highest score following the round of performances. The guard worked hard all season perfecting their craft and mastering the choreography and drill. The band also earned the Visual Caption award recognizing its achievement in marching techniques and how the band demonstrates the overall movement on the field.
The band’s show theme this year was “From the Shadows”, featuring music that was grim, sinister and spooky, and a little on the creepy side. This was evidenced by the different movement titles: “Bump in the Night”, “Haunted Lullaby”, and “Death Danse”. Many from our community and around the state had several opportunities to hear the group perform as the marching band participated in parades, community events, football games, as well as the competition circuit. Once again, the Carbon band joined with Emery High’s band program to perform in the Days of ’47 Parade in July. However, this year, the two schools continued to collaborate and six Emery students, along with their band teacher David Bird, joined the marching band for the full season. They contributed their talents and energy each practice and performance making the whole band that much better. Their experience did come with some sacrifice, as they made the journey from Castle Dale to Price for each rehearsal.
When asked about his impression of how the season progressed, Carbon Band Director Adam Cunningham stated, “I am proud of these students, for rising to new challenges they were given this year and enduring through a long season.” He continued, “These students work for months, and hours upon hours of practice, starting on really hot, long tedious days in July to ending with practices that are 20 degrees in November.”
On Saturday, when the band returned home from the State Competition, they were treated to an escort into town by police, fire rescue and other emergency responders. Waiting at the school to welcome the group were many student and teacher groups, family, and community members. The band is greatly appreciative to Carbon County and Price City and our amazing police, fire rescue, and emergency responders for the wonderful escort and homecoming. The community came out in force to welcome the band and color guard kids home, and it truly made the group feel very special. The band wishes to thank all involved in planning such an incredible event.
With a total of eighty members, the band and color guard battled both hot and cold temperatures, early morning and late evening hours, great highs, frustrations, and plenty of nerves to perform at their very best and bring home a state championship. The group will now have the opportunity to share their music with the students of Carbon County. Through the next two weeks, they will visit each school and hopefully inspire the next generation of Dinos to become part of this award-winning organization.
The band wishes to thank its sponsors for their support: Harold and Joyce Cunningham, the Bryner family, the Stead family, the Carbon High Track and Field team, and Judy Marinoni Cobb and family. The group also appreciates the support of Carbon High’s administration, faculty, and staff. The band wishes to remind our communities’ students and parents that next year’s show is just around the corner. In February, the group will be looking for any eighth – eleventh grade students with musical interests to check out the award-winning program. If you wish to join the band and color guard and help them seek a ‘three-peat’ next season, please contact band director Adam Cunningham (cunninghamad@carbonschools.org) for more information.
Photos Courtesy of Chris Sweeney
Photos by Brittnie Anderson
