EXCELLENCE IS A HABIT

Since Ridgeland High School opened in 2002, the Titan Band has maintained a tradition of excellence that can only be achieved through commitment to a daily routine of focused rehearsal and practice.  In 6 short years, the Titan Band has gained a reputation throughout the state of Mississippi for having well behaved and focused students with a commitment to excellence in performance.

A Brief History of Excellence

2002

Mr. McArthur was hired in March as band director.  Within 2 weeks he had designed a uniform and begun to contact his new students.  Before school was out, there were two “get acquainted” meetings in the Olde Towne Band hall.

Band camp was held the last week of July at Olde Towne because the new high school was not ready.  There were around 83 members, 55 of which were freshmen.  Courtney Walker was the only senior.   The marching show included Free, Make Me Smile, and Lucretia MacEvil.  Kayla Logan was Drum Major, Erica Owchar was Flag Captain, and Raife Oldham was Percussion Captain.  Luke Ratcliff, Patrick Duckworth, and Courtney Walker were soloists.

 We rehearsed in the parking lot in front of the school.

The Red Carpet Invitational in Vicksburg was our first contest.  The band won several special awards including Best in Class and the Small Class Sweepstakes.

At State Contest, we were the 1st band on as “Beginner Band”.  That night at the Pearl Invitational the band came in 3rd.  

At Concert Contest, the band was also the first group to perform and played Constitution State, They Led My Lord Away, and The Ascension.  They earned Superior Ratings.

Luke Ratcliff was a member of the Mississippi All-State Lions Band.

 

2003

 The band grew to around 100 members and had its own practice field.  The show was “And All Are Heard” and included A Mighty Fortress is our God, All Creatures of our God and King, and Sunday Down South. Kayla Logan was Drum Major, Erica Owchar was Guard Captian, and Raife Oldham was Percussion Captain.

Red Carpet Invitational in Vicksburg won class, 2nd overall.

State Contest Superior ratings

Pearl Invitational 6th place

Memphis State, 7th place, won Outstanding Visual for our class.

During concert season, the marching band was divided into two concert bands. The   Concert Band went to Grenada and earned Superior ratings.

Symphonic Band got an Excellent in concert and Superior in Sight Reading.

The band took their first long trip to the Orlando Festival of Music where both concert bands earned Superior ratings, both concert bands won their classes, the Parade Band was Grand Champion, Symphonic Band was Grand Champion of the Concert division, the entire program was the Overall Sweepstakes Winner.

Luke Ratcliff and Patrick Duckworth were members of the Lions Band.

 

2004

The 2004 band continued to grow with its membership now over 120.  The marching show was “A Trip Down the Mississippi” and featured St. Louis Blues, Walking in Memphis, and At a Dixieland Jazz Funeral.  The show was a crowd favorite with the singing of Walking in Memphis and the throwing of beads at the end of At a Dixieland Jazz Funeral.   This was also the first year for the State Marching Band Championships, where the band finished 3rd.   The highlight of the Symphonic Band year was the performance of Ride.

Kayla Logan was drum Major, Heather Haynes and Emily Moffat were Guard Captains, and Raife Oldham was Percussion Captain.

Red Carpet Invitational, Vicksburg:  Superior Ratings, Best in Class, 3rd place Color Guard, 2nd place Percussion.

State Contest; Superior Ratings

Pearl Invitational:  2nd place, Mayor’s Cup Winner.  The band was awarded 1st place in Music, 2nd place in General Effect, Guard, and Percussion with 3rd place Drum Major.  

State Marching Championships; 3rd place overall, 2nd place General Effect, 3rd place Marching

Grenada Concert Band Festival:  All Superior

State Concert Band Festival:     All Superior

Luke Ratcliff and Raife Oldham were members of the Lions Band.

 

2005

The 2005 band continued around the 120 member mark and featured a show based on football.  “Are You Ready for some Football?” featured music from NFL Films, Are You Ready for Some Football?, and The Theme from “Brian’s Song”.   The color guard wore NFL teach jerseys and Drum Major Sean Griffin was the referee.  This was the senior year for the 9th grade class that started the band.  There were 32 members of this graduating class.

Diamond of the Delta, Cleveland:   5th place overall, 2nd place Percussion  

State Marching Contest; Superior Ratings

Pearl Invitational:  2nd place overall, 1st place Percussion, 3rd place Color Guard

State Marching Championships; 6th place overall, 3rd place General Effect.

Grenada Concert Band Festival:  Superior Ratings

State Band Contest:  Superior Ratings

That spring, the band traveled to San Antonio for the Blue Bonnet Band Festival.  Both concert bands earned Superior ratings and “Awards of Distinction” for their contest efforts.

Sean Griffin was Drum Major, Raife Oldham was Percussion Captain, Kimberly Lofton and Ashley Blackburn were Guard Captains.  

Sean Griffin and Raife Oldham were members of the Lions Band.

 

2006

“Nightmare on Sunnybrook Road” was the show for this year with musical titles funeral for a Friend, Beetlejuice, Psycho Snakes, and Thriller.  Noelle Avenmarg was the narrator of a show that continued to build on the unique show design of the previous years.  It was the first year that did not have a single student that was present when the band was started.  

This was the first year that RHS decided to run its own concert band festival.  The Central Mississippi Concert Band Festival was designed for junior high school and high school 2nd bands and had 10 bands.

Red Carpet Invitational: Vicksburg, Superior Ratings, and 7th place overall. 

State Band Contest; Superior Ratings

Pearl Invitational:   4th place overall, 2nd place Color Guard

State Marching Band Championships:  4th place

Central Mississippi Concert Band Festival:  Superior Ratings

State Band Contest:  Superior Ratings

Virginia Scott was Drum Major, Lauren Richards, Ashley McQuirk, and Andrea Garner were Color Guard Captains.   Cody Logan was Percussion Captain. 

Joseph Habib, Marguerite O’Brien, and Abraham Dabit were members of the Lions Band.

 

2007

The 2007 production of “Breakout!” was the band’s most successful to date, including a 2nd place finish at the State Marching Band Championships.  Artisty in Rhythm, Harlem Nocturne, and Peter Gunn  framed a show in which there was a jail break, an underground hideout, and a recapture.  Joseph Habib was featured soloist and Jonathan Davis was the narrator.  

State Marching Contest:  Superior ratings

Pearl Invitational:  2nd place overall, 2nd place General Effect, 2nd place Music, 2nd place Marching, 2nd place Color Guard, 2nd place Percussion.

Site of Sound: Southaven,  5th place overall, 2nd in class,

State Marching Band Championship:  2nd place overall, 2nd place Music, 2nd place Marching, 3rd place General Effect.

The band took a long trip back to the Orlando Festival of Music where both concert bands earned Superior ratings, both concert bands won their classes, the Parade Band was Grand Champion, Symphonic Band was Grand Champion of the Concert division, the entire program was the Overall Sweepstakes Winner.


Virginia Scott was Drum Major, Cody Logan was Percussion Captain,  Victoria Scott was Guard Captain and was assisted by Katie Oldham, Cassie Moffat, Hailey Moore, Mary Rodgers Beal, Alisa Castilla, 

 
2008

The 2008 production was "We Are Not Alone".  The drum major was Ebony Johnson who took first place at the "Sight of Sound" marching competition in Southaven Mississippi.  The Titan Band broke their string of 2nd place finishes by becoming the 2008 4A Mississippi Marching Band Champions.