June 09, 2008 08:17 am By Denise Richardson Staff Writer Six area school districts took home first-place honors in various categories from the 59th annual Sherburne Pageant of Bands that ended Saturday. And Laurens Central School scored 100 in the jazz-ensemble category its Class D division. "They were smoking," said Jeff Manwaring, coordinator of the event. "That's their area of expertise." Students from 35 school districts, including one from South Dakota, made music, set rhythms and marched in a parade at the competition that started Thursday. The pageant gives participating schools a chance to show their students' accomplishments and level and variety of skills, Manwaring said. And the event gives students a sense of ownership in their performing group. "It's kind of what you'd call an evaluation festival," Manwaring said. Students also gain satisfaction from performing and pride in their ensembles, he said. Bands and ensembles compete for ratings and trophies in classes based on the school district's enrollment. In other top results, Worcester Central School took first in the parade competition, with Laurens placing third. In the Class D concert band event, the order of finishers first through third was Laurens, Morris Central School and Worcester. Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School students placed first in the Class C section of the competition, and Norwich Central School placed first in Class AAA. Dan Martin, director of instrumental music at Laurens, said the marching band and color guard performance in the parade event was docked five points because he broke a rule setting limits on the contact a director can have with the group. Martin said the students had worked hard and he "felt bad" for them because that five points cost Laurens first place. "The kids earned it, but I made a mistake," Martin said. The band has about 40 students and the color guard has about 15 students, he said, and the penalty also cost Laurens the overall award, which was won by Norwich. The jazz group, which has 18 members, is an experienced group that played three pieces for the competition, Martin said, and the score of 100 was a first. "That's pretty special," Martin said. "They love to play and you can really tell." Manwaring said events Saturday went off without any rain, for a change, but several directors told him it was the hottest day they'd ever had groups march in a parade. Emergency crews from Sherburne, Morrisville and other communities did a "fantastic job" helping an unknown number of people who passed out because of the heat, he said. Manwaring said he hadn't heard about any serious developments. In the "Best of Class," awards went to Laurens in Class D; Gilbertsville-Mount Upton in Class C; and Norwich in Class AAA. Gretchen Shyne of the Norwich district won the Frank L. Miller Outstanding Director award, and the district won the Albert Whitney Overall Achievement Award. Other pageant results for area schools included: JAZZ ENSEMBLE Class D: Laurens, first; Worcester, third. Class C: G-MU, second; Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School, third. Class B: Richfield Springs Central School, third. Class AA: Sidney Central School, third. Class AAA: Norwich City School District, first. DRUM CADENCE: Class D: Worcester, Laurens, tied for first. Class C: Cherry Valley-Springfield, second; Edmeston Central School, third. Class B: Richfield Springs, tied for second. Class AA: Sidney, second. Class AAA: Norwich, first. COLOR GUARD Class D: Laurens, first. CONCERT BAND Class D: Laurens, first; Morris, second; Worcester, third. Class C: G-MU, first; Edmeston, second. Class AAA: Norwich, first. SMALL ENSEMBLE (a new category) Class D: Laurens, first; Worcester, second. Class C: Edmeston, first. Class B: Richfield Springs, first. Class AAA: Norwich, second. PARADE: Class D: Worcester, first; Laurens, third. Class C: G-MU, third. Class AA: Sidney, third. Class AAA: Norwich, first. The Sherburne-Earlville Central School played host to the groups, and the Sherburne Fire Department was the sponsor.
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