Schools
7 June, 2023
Toogoolawah wins battle of high school bands
Toogoolawah State High School won first prize in the annual Valleys State High Schools ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition, which took place at the Laidley State High School hall on Friday, May 26.
Toogoolawah was set back as 30 percent of its members were unavailable, yet the Somerset school evidently impressed the judge immensely while Laidley and Lockyer District state secondary schools also took part.
Twenty-five Toogoolawah students from years 7 to 10 made the trek to Laidley, as competition was open for high school concert bands, stage (jazz) bands and rock bands.
Toogoolawah’s stage band performed two songs which made the audience sit up and take notice, before concert band songs were performed.
The concert band produced a wall of balanced and warm sound, before a combined band performed ‘Eye of the Tiger’.
Rock bands took over with a lot of 1990s grunge sounds and shredding rock guitar solos as well as an original.
Toogoolawah’s rock band finished the night with an original song featuring studio quality balance and power.
Toogoolawah’s conductor Adam Smith said the students got along well with the performers from the other schools, and were “super responsible” with their behaviour.
Mr Smith said he was super proud of the laser-beam focus and dedicated courage he witnessed on stage from the Toogoolawah band members.
“(There were) fearless, accurate notes with a warm intensity and force of will that was like a wave of positive, energy that went straight through the conductor and into the audience,” he said.
“Everyone needs to experience that at least once.
“The feel of the night was one of cooperation and community between Laidley, Lockyer and Toogoolawah, (with) everyone helping each other to succeed in performance.”
Mr Smith also said the combined band sounded amazing.
Toogoolawah State High School’s music conductor said upcoming performances included Fanfare 2024; Education Queensland’s own statewide band festival.
“Such a celebration of youth music in education,” Mr Smith said.
