Senior Santos Cruz and Junior Bianca Herlory received the prestigious honor of participating in The Annual Tri-State Band and Conducting Festival. The Gables band has instruments from the clarinet all the way to trumpet.

Santos Cruz, a senior in the Academy of Finance, has been involved with music since he was very young, and he has always had music in his life.

“I grew up with barely any games and my mom always put music on in the house so I guess it started around when I was in middle school and I picked band in high school to get involved with music. I feel very honored for having this opportunity and I would like to thank the school’s band instructor, Ms. Morrow, for allowing me to have this tremendous opportunity,” Cruz said.

Bianca Herlory, a junior in the International Baccalaureate Program, first dove into the world of music when she was seven years old. Herlory started playing the piano at the age of twelve but later switched to playing the clarinet. She not only participates in band but also has been taking private lessons in organ quite recently and the piano for almost nine years. She is on the color guard after football season and she also takes ballet several times a week and is a French tutor.

“At the age of twelve I switched from piano to the clarinet, which is what I’m going to tristate for. I was always serious about music but I became much more involved in it in my freshman year. I was really excited about getting accepted for the festival – I’ve been waiting to go to it since my freshman year so finally being able to go really has me motivated,” Herlory said.

The Tri-State Band Festival and Conducting Conference is designed to provide a rewarding musical experiences for high school band students and their directors. It has been held at Florida State University every year for the past 34 years. This festival is available to any excellent musician that resides in Florida, Georgia or Alabama and is willing to take on the great challenge of performing.

 Unfortunately, however, only the the students who were accepted to attend will be taking the trip – not the whole band (i.e. Santos Cruz and Bianca Herlory only). Although only two band members will be attending the festival this year, they will be representing the whole band, and they will surely be looking upon their representatives with high hopes and expectations.

Two of Gables’s very own students achieving something like this is a tremendous opportunity for success for the school, the band program and the students participating. All will be hoping that our school’s band representatives will excel in the festival – for themselves and for the school!