The Olympic Heights Mighty Lions Marching Band has been rated as one of the top marching ensembles in the state of Florida by the Florida Marching Band Coalition (FMBC). The band has performed at 2 FMBC competitions and won 1^st place and runner up. The band was awarded, by the judges, Best Music, Best Brass and Best Woodwinds at both competitions. At the Florida Bandmaster’s Association Music Performance Assessment (FBA MPA) the band received the highest ratings of Straight Superiors which means that all aspects of their performance: Music, Marching, Percussion and Guard performed at a superior level. The Mighty Lion Band has 2 competitions remaining: The Park Vista Invitational; and the FMBC State Championship in Tampa November 22^nd in which the Mighty Lions will be competing for a State Championship.

    This year’s show title is “Kentonality” and features the music of Stan Kenton who was a pianist, composer, and arranger and led an innovative, influential and often controversial jazz orchestra from 1930’s to 1970’s. Stan Kenton combined American big band swing music with Cuban rhythms and songs. The songs the band is performimg are 1) La Suerte De Los Tontos 2) Pegasus and 3) Malaguena. Since the band is competing for the state championship they went all out and created beautiful props with images that represent the songs they are performing. All three songs are well-known in the jazz world and are very difficult to play let alone play AND march. The first two songs are in 6/8 time and the third has 5 tempo changes! Marching and playing at the same time is challenging and marching band members meet the challenge of marching at one tempo while playing at another.

   The OH band director, Jackie Parsons, has often said, “Marching band gives our students practice, experience, and skills that reach far beyond musical notes and instruments. These kids don’t realize that they are getting valuable lessons in so many non-musical life skills that will have positive impacts as they become adults. It’s not until they graduate and go on to college, the armed forces of jobs that they then write or call to let me know that the perseverance they learned in band helped them personally and professionally.”