Harrison Bands is proud to announce Austin Price as our new Color Guard Coordinator. We are excited to continue Austin’s involvement with the Harrison Color Guard as he takes on this new role!
For Austin, color guard is a sport focused on integrity, community, teaching life skills and creating valuable experiences through performance. Austin has been actively participating in color guard for the past 10 years and credits his success to the many great programs in which he has participated.
Originally from Kingsport, Tennessee, Austin immediately was drawn to color guard at Sullivan North High School. During his time in East Tennessee, Austin participated with Southeast Independent Winter Guard and the Dobyns-Bennett High School marching band and winter guard, a BOA finalist and WGI semi-finalist.
After high school, Austin marched with The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps in the color guard from 2015 to 2018, and spent his winters with Paramount Winter Guard, a WGI world champion (2018), from 2017 to 2020.
Austin has had the privilege to work with Dobyns-Bennett High School, Science Hill High School, South Forsyth High School, and most recently, North Cobb High School. Austin began working with Harrison High School in 2019 and is very excited to be continuing in the role as color guard coordinator. Austin currently resides in Kennesaw, Georgia, and is studying Software Engineering at Kennesaw State University.
Since its inception in 1991, the Harrison High School band program quickly established a reputation for musical excellence — thanks largely to the dedicated efforts of thousands of former band members who have performed in our various ensembles. We’re inviting all of you to reengage with Harrison Bands, reconnect with former band mates and help us continue the traditions of Dedication, Excellence and Pride which built our national award-winning program. The purpose of our alumni program is to build a community of former members and forever friends of Harrison Bands.
As the introductory movement in our unfinished alumni symphony, we’re asking former band members to register in our alumni database so we can share with you information about our efforts, news about the current band, and announcements about future alumni events. You can register here, or jump over to our new alumni page to learn more.
Make sure to visit our Facebook group, Harrison Bands Alumni, where band alumni and friends can share memories, old photos, recent news and more. Anyone can access the Harrison Bands Alumni group on Facebook, but you’ll need to register as a new member on the page to post content. When you join, you can also invite friends and former band mates to join the page, building the alumni community and creating a fun environment for all.
In the meantime, Harrison Bands would also welcome any financial support you might consider. Our Harrison High Band Boosters is a registered non-profit organization eligible for tax-deductible contributions. Some of our alumni currently make periodic contributions to the band, using our online donation system to make gifts of $25, $50, $100 or more. One of our alumni advisors has suggested that former band members consider making a $5 contribution for each year since their graduation. Thus, a 5-year graduate might contribute $25, while a 20-year graduate might contribute $100. Regardless of the amount, any and all contributions would be greatly appreciated, and will be particularly helpful in 2020 as our band members and our Harrison Bands feel the financial impact of the corona virus. To make a contribution, use our link below:
By joining Harrison Bands, you’re establishing an instant on-campus network of friends and classmates who share your passion for music, performance and achievement. Our national award-winning Hoya Marching Band performs at football games and regularly competes in local, regional and Bands of America Grand National Championships. Plus our concert and symphonic bands, small group ensembles and our guard are regionally and nationally recognized for their outstanding achievements.
While most students who join Harrison Bands have music and performance background from Middle School band, we welcome all students who are interested. For those who play keyboards, guitar or bass guitar, our front ensemble is a perfect option. Our Color Guard and Winter Guard welcome those who have an interest in music, dance, drill, acrobatics, gymnastics, or cheering — with or without prior experience. And Harrison Bands always is open to starting students on new instruments to pursue their musical passion.
Join an Ensemble
Our ensembles offer students year-round opportunities, featuring a variety of different music and performance styles. Interested in larger performing groups offering musical variety. Then check out concert band, symphonic band, and fall wind symphony. For our most accomplished musicians and those seeking growth, wind ensemble is a year-round program featuring collegiate and professional level music. Looking for a shorter extracurricular music season with lots of fun? One of our multiple jazz bands may be for you! Feeling the beat? Check out HIPE — our Harrison Indoor Performance Ensemble. And if you want to explore musical performance without playing an instrument, the fall color guard and spring winter guard members shine through drill, dance, choreography and dramatic routines.
Music and Competition
In our competitive marching band, you gain experience as a performing musician and you’re part of a Harrison team competing against other schools. Harrison is a two-time Bands of America Grand National Champion (2015, 2013) in Class 3-A, and a three-time BOA Grand Nats finalist (2015, 2013, 2007). In 2018, Harrison was a BOA Super Regional Finalist in Jacksonville, FL. In 2019, Harrison was the overall and class 3-A champion at the Kennesaw Invitational Marching Competition among 10 bands, and the BOA Regional Championship among 22 bands from six Southeastern states. The Hoyas completed the 2019 marching season by making the semifinals and finishing 14th overall in Indianapolis for the 2019 Grand National Championships!
The Harrison Hoya Marching Band performs its 2019 show, Restricted: Area 51
Leadership and Scholarship
Harrison Band members are leaders at school who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement. Band members master time management, devoting long hours to band practice while attaining a higher-than-school average GPA. Harrison band members score better than their peers on standard college placement tests. They receive music and academic scholarships at a higher rate than other Harrison students. And with our national reputation, many alumni earn college scholarships and financial benefits by joining university marching bands throughout Georgia and the US.
Friendship and Fun
Band friends are fun, and friends for life. Our band members share great experiences at school, during practice, at summer camp, and while traveling together. In recent years, the Hoya Marching Band traveled to Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Orlando for national and regional competitions, plus performed in New York at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And many band alumni remain friends in college and throughout their adult lives.
Harrison Marching Band performs at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
Band enrollments occur in the Spring semester. To learn more about joining the band, let us know you’re interested, and get all the latest updates on HHS Bands, subscribe to our Future Parents and Weekly E-Mail List.
Harrison Bands joined other high school bands from throughout Cobb County School District in a virtual performance of “Shimmering Joy” by Atlanta composer Tyler S. Grant.
With schools closed due to the Covid-19 virus, students throughout the county practiced then logged in to play in an online environment. Audio and video files were received from more than 500 band members, and edited by Joe Huls, assistant director of bands at McEachern High School.
Names of all students participating are listed in the closing credits, sorted alphabetically by first name.
“The Cobb County School District took on the massive project of creating the first ever, “Cobb County Virtual Band”. This virtual ensemble proudly featured over 500 talented musicians from all seventeen high schools in our community. We are so thankful for Atlanta Composer, Tyler Grant, for allowing our kids to perform his wonderful work for concert band, “Shimmering Joy,” read the web posting accompanying the video.
Harrison’s Winter Guard rocked the house with their Mix Tape show at recent Arts in Motion and the Atlanta Winter Guard International (WGI) events.
At WGI, Harrison Guard performed in Saturday preliminaries, then competed in the Sunday finals, finishing the regional competition among the Top 10 in Scholastic Group A. More than 60 teams from 10 states competed in the Atlanta Regionals, held at McEachern High School Feb. 29 and March 1.
In between, the Harrison Guard returned to their home venue for a competition appearance at Arts in Motion, finishing first in the Scholastic National A level. Nearly 50 guard units participated in the Arts In Motion event, sponsored by the Southern Association of Performance Arts (SAPA).
Winter Guard continues its competition season March 7 at WGI-Nashville. Guard moves on to the championship season with SAPA Championships in Chattanooga on March 28, and the season-ending world championship competition in Dayton, OH, April 1-4.
Exhibition, Competitions, Friday Night Lights and a Universal Good Time
The Harrison High School 2020 Marching Band preliminary schedule includes a local exhibition, Bands of America regional competitions, Friday night lights, and a season-ending trip that promises a universal good time for everyone.
Competitions and Exhibitions
Regional Band of America competitions at Austin Peay University in Clarkesville, TN on Sept. 19 and at Jacksonville State University on Oct. 24 in Jacksonville, AL, are the highlights of the BOA season. The Marching Hoyas will compete locally on Oct. 17 at the Southern Invitational at Sprayberry High School. Plus, the band will perform in Cobb Exhibition hosted by the Cobb County School District, on a date still pending.
Football Season
The band will kick off the 2020 performance season with an Aug. 14 home football game against rival Allatoona. Remember, these two football teams met in the 2019 state championship, and both bands provided pep music throughout the rain-soaked game and favorite tunes during a half-time downpour. This meeting between the bands promises an early-season showcase for their outstanding competition performances. Lots of regular-season football games are on the band schedule for the fall, and perhaps more depending on the Hoyas’ playoff potential.
Marching to Orlando
Magical end-of-season sorcery awaits Nov. 12-15 when the Hoya Marching Band heads to Orlando, FL, for marching, music and more at Universal Studios. The band will march in a parade at Universal Studios Nov. 13, plus enjoy two days in the Universal Studios and Islands of Adventures parks on Nov. 13 and Nov. 14.
Preliminary Performance Schedule
Here’s a run down of the marching band’s preliminary 2020 fall schedule. Note that competition schedules may preempt some of the football dates. More specific information will be available soon on the band calendar, and also communicated directly to students and parents.
