The New Diana HS Band recently received first and fourth place in a statewide band competition. The Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB) hosts an annual competition called the Outstanding Performance Series, also known as OPS.

Here is a quote from the ATSSB website concerning the competition:

“The ATSSB Outstanding Performance Series is a compact disc (CD) audition program designed to select the most outstanding Class C, CC, A, AA, and AAA concert band performances in the state of Texas each year.

“A compact disc of the winning selections will be made available to all high school band directors who are current members of ATSSB and to public radio stations that will broadcast the performances. It will provide a series of recordings that demonstrate the highest level at which Texas small school bands perform.”

To enter OPS, a band may submit one, two or three of their UIL concert contest selections. The competition is divided into two categories – march and concert selection. To get to the state level of the competition a band must first advance from the region and then area levels. Recordings that advanced to the state level were judged in San Antonio at the Texas Bandmasters Association Convention on Sunday, July 25.

The July 2010 OPS state level results showed that the New Diana Eagle band earned 1st place in the AA concert selection category with their recording of American Riversongs by Pierre LaPlante and 4th place in the AA march category with their recording of Emblem of Unity March by J.J. Richards. As winner of the OPS concert category the Eagle Band’s recording of American Riversongs will be put onto the exemplary CD and sent to all A, AA, and AAA band directors in the state.

This is one of the highest levels of achievement for any band program in the state and a great honor for the New Diana band program, said New Diana Band Director George Little.