State Capitol “Sounds Horn” for Frisco Band Program

Frisco’s Clark Middle School Band to receive proclamation from Texas House of Representatives

Thursday, March 2 will be proclaimed “Clark Band Day” in the State of Texas. State Representative Justin Holland (R-Rockwall) will issue the proclamation on Thursday morning with directors and band members in attendance. This is a result of the band program recently receiving the highly coveted John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Silver Cup, which was awarded to Clark as the best middle band program in the entire United States for 2016.

The proclamation will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the Austin State Capitol Building on the House Floor.

Clark Middle School Band is located in Frisco, Texas, and is under the direction of Ben Katz, Scott Kennedy, John Timpani, Rob Parks and Arjuna Contreras. School Principal is Mrs. Charese Duffey. 77 of the 330 member band will be in attendance for the recognition.

The Sudler Cup is a prestigious, once in a lifetime award typically given to one middle school band from across the United States that demonstrates a particularly high standard of excellence over a period of years. Clark is the first band program in the history of Frisco to win such an exclusive award. With this accomplishment, the Clark Middle School program has been recognized as “one of the best band programs in the United States.”

Applying for the Sudler Cup requires a program to submit a portfolio of seven years of documentation as well as recordings that outline all the activities of the entire band program. The portfolio includes: concert programs spanning a minimum of three years, recent recordings, photographs, press clippings, solo and ensemble participation, honor programs, and written recommendations from prominent conductors with a national reputation.

A panel of judges, comprised of master teachers from the middle school, high school and university levels from across the United States, then convenes to review the submitted portfolios and chooses as outstanding entry.

Clark Middle School Cougar Band