Wednesday, May 14, 2025

All Harrison Ensembles Earn Superior At 2023 LGPE

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Harrison Band Ensemble Performs at LGPE

Harrison’s Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band and Concert Bands received scores of superior at the 2023 Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) District 12 Large Group Performance Evaluations (LGPE) held March 16-18 at Lassiter High School Performance Hall.

Superior ratings are the highest scores awarded at the evaluation sessions, which is the largest gathering of musicians in Cobb County. The three-day 2023 LGPE included more than 50 high school performance ensembles with nearly 2,000 performers.

Independent judges and adjudicators representing universities, professional performing groups and high school educators evaluate the performances.

How LGPE Works

Band directors select LGPE performance music from a list established by the GMEA. Band rehearse this music and play their submitted music sets at the event.

In addition, a sight reading evaluation challenges bands to quickly learn and perform new music provided to them at the event. Band directors receive the music at the start of the exercise, then the bands have five minutes to read, learn, rehearse then perform the composition. Bands are evaluated on their rehearsal approach and their performance.

Judging and Scores

A three-person judging panel observes and scores all performances. Performing bands receive scores as follows:

  • Superior (1): Outstanding performance. Worthy of distinction of being recognized as among the very best.
  • Excellent (2): Unusually good performance in many respects, but not worthy of the highest rating due to minor defects. A performance of distinctive quality.
  • Good (3): A good performance, but not one that is outstanding. Shows accomplishment and marked promise, but lacks one or more essential qualities.
  • Fair (4): A performance that shows some obvious weaknesses, generally weak and uncertain.
  • Poor (5): A performance that reveals much room for improvement. The students reveal almost a complete lack of preparedness and understanding.

Winter Guard Captures First at 2023 SAPA

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Winter Guard performs dance routine

The Harrison High School Winter Guard earned a first place finish in the Scholastic A division at the March 11 regional competition sponsored by the Southern Association of Performance Arts (SAPA). The event featured 60 performing high school and independent performing units from Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.

Harrison earned a total score of 78.94 to finish ahead of second-place Buford at 77.54. Villa Rica, Pope and Rome High Schools rounded out the top five finishers in the 15-team division. The 78.94 score is the marked the highest total of the competition season so far for Harrison, which has demonstrated a commitment to improvement with score increases in each competition.

For the competition, the Harrison squad performed its 2023 competition show entitled “Bound,” featuring music by Christina Aguilera.

Harrison’s Winter Guard earned a first-place finish at the regional SAPA competition on March 11, posting their highest score of the season thus far.

The 2023 Harrison Color Guard includes Savannah Blakely, Leann Bolls, Anna Brown, Emily Burgess, Sara Cartzas, Lizzy Del Toro, Camylle Gary, Scarlet Hampton, Lilli Hardee, Rachel Jones, Madison Lowery, Toby Meares, Grace Paulson Lovato, Isabel Samples, Lauren Sanford, Emma Sherman, Delilah Tanner, Gabby Warden and Jada Whitehead.

Harrison’s winter guard is under the direction of Corey Hawkins. Staff members include Jeleesa Levy, Jay Caldwell, Bri Waithe, Rae Winget, and Billy Pacifico.

Spectators attending the event at Harrison were treated to a full day of choreographed dance routines, featuring flying flags, twirling sabers and other props designed to enhance the performance effect. All groups performed themed, timed routines to recorded music, earning points in categories that included equipment, movement and general effect. Points may have been deducted for time or other performance violations.

Harrison’s Winter Guard returns to competition on March 25 at the Winter Guard International Regional event at Buford Arena.

Winter Guard Captures Second

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Harrison’s Winter Guard earned a second place finish at the SAPA competition held Feb. 18 at Mill Creek High School.

Performing the 2023 competition show entitled “Bound” featuring music by Christina Aguilera, the HHS Winter Guard finished with a score of 71.42 — only 4/10 of a point out of the first place position. The squad captured first in equipment, first in movement and first in general effect.

Demonstrating a commitment to improvement, the Guard squad increased its performance score by nine points from its first competition.

Winter Guard returns to SAPA competition on Saturday, March 4, with a show at South Forsyth High School.

HIPE Earns Top Recognition at First Competition

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Harrison’s Indoor Percussion Ensemble (HIPE) earned a first place finish in the Percussion Scholastic Concert A category at a competition hosted by the Georgia Indoor Percussion Association (GIPA) at Forsyth Central High School.

The HIPE squad earned an overall score of 77.5 for their first competitive performance of the 2023 season.

The group performed its 2023 competition show entitled “A World Entirely Your Own,” based loosely on the concept of aspirational and sleep dreams. The show is inspired by a quote from JK Rowlings’ Harry Potter book, The Prisoner of Azkaban: “In dreams we enter a world that’s entirely our own. Let them swim in the deepest ocean or glide over the highest cloud.”

Music performed includes “Sweet Dreams are Made of This” as interpreted by Emily Browning and the Eurythmics, “Pure Imagination” from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” and “False Awakening Suite” from Dream Theater.

The 2023 HIPE show is entitled, “A World Entirely Your Own.”

HIPE returns to the competition circuit Saturday, March 25, at another GIPA event to be held at South Forsyth HS.

Beat Goes On For Indoor Percussion Ensemble

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As we enter February, Harrison’s indoor percussion ensemble continues practicing and prepping for upcoming 2023 performances and competitions. 

The Harrison Indoor Percussion Ensemble (HIPE) dreamily is looking forward to a competition season that begins in February, at least in the metaphorical sense. That’s because the group’s 2023 competition show entitled “A World Entirely Your Own,” is based loosely on the concept of aspirational and sleep dreams.

The HIPE ensemble features one senior in 2023, Sierra Glosson, who is a four-year member of HIPE. 

Senior Sierra Glosson, with HIPE directors TJ Shaheen (l) and Jeff Hope (r).

Other members of the 2023 HIPE ensemble include:

Irie Boteler, 9
Jay Edwards, 11
Sierra Glosson, 12
Wesley Hampton, 9
Zeke Horsley, 11
Owen Jones, 9
Ben Kitchens, 11
Mariana Santiago, 9
Evelyn Shirley, 10
Charlie Slapkus, 10
Kaci White, 10

Harrison’s HIPE ensemble performs in its first competition on Saturday, February 11th at the GIPA event at Forsyth Central High School.

The full season schedule also includes these performances:

  • Saturday, March 25th – GIPA South Forsyth
  • Thursday, March 30th – Night of Necessary Noise
  • Saturday, April 1st – GIPA Championships

Winter Guard Completes First 2023 Competition

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Harrison’s Winter Guard squad finished fourth overall and garnered a first-place spot for equipment at its first competition event of the season, Jan. 28, at Cass High School.

Performing its 2023 competition show, “Bound,” Harrison achieved a final score of 62.85. Scores include evaluations in equipment, movement, design and general effect, plus adjustments for any penalties.

Bound features the music track “Bound to You” by Christina Aguilera.

The 2023 Harrison Color Guard includes Savannah Blakely, Leann Bolls, Anna Brown, Emily Burgess, Sara Cartzas, Lizzy Del Toro, Camylle Gary, Scarlet Hampton, Lilli Hardee, Rachel Jones, Madison Lowery, Toby Meares, Grace Paulson Lovato, Isabel Samples, Lauren Sanford, Emma Sherman, Delilah Tanner, Gabby Warden and Jada Whitehead.

Winter Guard is scheduled to perform next at a SAPA event on Feb. 18 at Mill Creek High School.