The Hialeah Miami Lakes High School band concluded the 2015 year ranked at number 4 in the state at the final competition of the year, Florida Marching Band Championships (FMBC) in St. Petersburg. The band competed against 20 other bands in their class (1A).
The HML band was named a finalist in the semi-finals at Sickles High School before progressing to finals at Tropicana Field, frequently referred to as “the dome” for its large stadium.
“I feel incredibly proud of my students, instructors, and band parents. All odds have been against us since the beginning and these kids have pushed hard since July to put a high quality show on the field. They consistently executed at a high level and never gave up on our goal of reaching finals,” said band director, Sara Cowley.
The band students also maintained their grades while dedicating several hours each week in preparation for competitions. This marks the first time HML has earned a finalist spot the at FMBC.
“It is almost unheard of for a band to make the drastic progress that our group has,” said Cowley. “In 2012, States were an afterthought as we finished last in all regional competitions.”
In 2013 the band placed second at regionals, and in 2014 brought home two first place finishes at regional and first attendance at the state championships.
“This year was quite historic as the band jumped 11 places to make finals and finish fourth,” said Cowley.