Two Katy ISD High School Bands Head to the State Championships

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

October 27, 2023

By Natalie Cook Clark

Two Katy ISD high schools qualified to compete next week in the UIL State Marching Championships in the Alamodome in San Antonio. Both Tompkins High School and Seven Lakes High School bands will showcase their award-winning shows for the community this weekend.

Seven Lakes High School Marching Band. Photo credit: Katy ISD

Two Katy High Schools are Seeking State Titles

While both Seven Lakes High School and Tompkins High School band programs look to next week’s State Championships, they have already had a season of great success and accolades. Both bands will showcase their award-winning shows free to the community this weekend.

Community Invited to Watch Award-Winning Shows Ahead of State Championships

The Seven Lakes Marching Band invites the community to see their award-winning show ahead of the State Championships this Saturday, October 28, 2023 at Legacy Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

This Sunday, October 29, 2023, at 12:45 p.m. the community is invited to Legacy Stadium to watch the Falcon Band and Crimsons Pride perform “Raven and the Firebird” ahead of their State competition.

Seven Lakes High School in State Championship for 5th Consecutive Year

This season Seven Lakes High School Marching Band went on to advance to the Area I Championships, where they earned their ticket to the UIL State Championships for the 5th consecutive year. Seven Lakes is the only band in Katy ISD who has advanced to State for the last 5 consecutive years.

Photo credit: Katy ISD

About the Show

“This season, the Seven Lakes Band and Guard has reached all the goals that we set for ourselves at the beginning of the season,” says Seven Lakes Marching Band Director John Mays. “From the start of summer band in late July until now, we have found our students working toward every challenge with determination and grit.”

The show theme this year is “A Thousand Paper Cranes.”

“Seven Lakes High School is a very diverse community and we wanted to tap into our high Asian influence when developing and designing ‘A Thousand Paper Cranes,’” says Mays.

Mays says that “A Thousand Paper Cranes” is a true story about Sadako Sasaki, a young Hiroshima bombing survivor who folded 1,000 paper cranes to fulfill her wish for health and peace.

“Our student’s instant connection of this show concept is one of the reasons that I attribute to our season being so successful,” says Mays.

The community can help cheer on the band and send them off following their community show on Saturday.

Tompkins High School is Ready to Compete in State Championship

While Seven Lakes High School is the only Katy school to send their band to State five years in a row they aren’t the only Katy school representing this season. Tompkins High School Falcon Band is also going to State and they are excited to showcase their performance to the community this weekend.

Tompkins High School Marching Band. Photo credit: Katy ISD

'Nothing Short of Amazing'

“The amount of growth that the Tompkins Band has made this year is nothing short of amazing,” says Falcon Band Director Stephen Bond. “There have been lots of ups and downs but our students have worked their tails off and have not let anything get in the way of becoming really great performers.”

Their show “Raven and The Firebird” features a wide variety of music, including songs by The Used and The Beatles plus music from Stravinsky’s Firebird.

Photo credit: Katy ISD

“We wanted a show that the students would be excited to perform and would help to develop their skills as performers while also being entertaining for audiences,” says Bond.

“I don’t think a lot of people realize just how hard band kids work,” adds Bond. “We started rehearsals almost a month before school started and they have sacrificed a lot to get to where they are right now.”

Immediately following their performance, the band will load busses to head towards San Antonio. The community is encouraged to bring posters and noisemakers as they will line the bus exit to show support to the Falcons.

Good Luck to Both Schools

The 6A UIL State Championship Prelims are being held on Monday, October 30, 2023 in the Alamodome. There are 43 6A bands who advanced to State from all over the state of Texas. The top 14 bands after prelims will advance to Finals, held the following day on October 31, 2023.