Eastland MS Wins State Title

​Every year in the state of Texas bands enter their contest recordings into a state wide contest called the Outstanding Performance Series. This compares recordings back to back with other bands across the state in an elimination and ranking system.

This year the Eastland Middle School Honor Band advanced a concert selection and a march to the state level. On July 21st during the final judging Eastland was ranked 6th on the concert piece and took home the 1st place title in the March category.

This is an unprecedented achievement for Eastland Middle School.

Jett Lowrance directs the Eastland Middle School Honor Band, an ensemble made up of forty-three 7th and 8th grade students. The Eastland band program consists of a 6th grade beginner band program, a 7th and 8th grade band program, and a high school band program that includes 9th-12th grade students. 

Eastland offers a jazz class for grades 8-12. The jazz class averages 55 members split into two performing and competing ensembles. 6th and 7th Grade students audition each year for the Middle School Symphonic and Honor Bands. Stephen Cox directs the symphonic band, high school band, and Jazz Band 1. Both Middle School bands competed at UIL last year, a first for two middle school bands from Eastland ISD, and both bands received a first division in Concert. During the 2015-2016 school year, the Eastland High School Band received their seventh consecutive UIL sweepstake award and competed in the AAA UIL State Marching Contest where they ranked sixteenth. 

Jett Lowrance is responsible for the middle school band program, and Stephen Cox is responsible for the high school band program; both programs are team-taught. The amazingly wonderful and multitalented Ashley Lowrance teaches 6th grade percussion. The principal of Eastland Middle School is Jason Henry and the superintendent for Eastland ISD is Jason Cochran.

Listen to the recordings here