A big congratulations to our students who were selected for the 9-10 and 11-12 All-County Bands! This year the Band Program had five students earn the honor of being placed in these bands.

The All-County Bands are split by grade level with one band composed of 9th and 10th graders and the other with 11th and 12th graders. These ensembles will meet for only four rehearsals in January before their concert on Saturday, January 20 at Durant High School at 4:00pm.

9–10 All-County Band
Sebastian Castro, Clarinet
Marcus Torres, Trombone
Sean Jackson, Euphonium and Trombone

11–12 All-County Band
Morgan Brandt, Trombone
Jacob Massena, Trombone

This past Saturday the girls of the Blue Radiance Color Guard took to the floor for the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit Premiere West: the first competition of the 2018 winter guard (also known as indoor) season. 

Competing against 11 other color guards in Class AA the girls ended up placing 3rd with a score of 53.41 for their show “A House is Not a Home” set to the song of the same name by Trijntje Oosterhuis, the second highest score the Color Guard Program has received in its history at FFCC Premiere. 

“The team this year is small with 13 girls on it, but they are all very hardworking and talented—coupling that with the great design that our director Mr. Rios has come up with I think this weekend was just a glimpse of things to come,” said Color Guard Program Manager and Band Program Staff Director Mr. Miller. 

The team will have its next performance on Saturday, February 3 at Braden River High School’s FFCC regional.

Competing at their first regional of the season following the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit Premiere West in late January, this past Saturday the ladies of the Blue Radiance Color Guard earned 2nd place at the FFCC Braden River High School regional!

The team competes again this Friday, February 9 at Freedom High School in Tampa for another FFCC regional.

This Saturday several wind players from the Band Program participated in the annual Florida Bandmasters Association District 7 Solo & Ensemble festival. Four students earned superiors for their performances: Sarah Ferguson, flute solo; Jordan Burnett and Nic Herberger, clarinet duet; and Tyler Kapinos, trumpet solo. In addition, flute player Katelyn Andux scored an excellent on her solo.

Congratulations to all!

Less than one week after their performance at Braden River High School—which earned them a second place trophy—the Blue Radiance Winter Guard was back on the floor with their show “A House is not a Home” at Freedom High School. This past Friday the team marked their third Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit appearance for the 2018 season—and earned a first place trophy!

The team scored a 59.79, marking a near 8-point improvement in just six days. In a little more than two weeks the girls will perform at their home show, the 4th annual Blue Radiance Showcase of Champions. 

49 color guards, 10 percussion teams and 1 winds team. This year was a record-breaking year for the Riverview Band Program and the 4th annual Blue Radiance Showcase of Champions, welcoming 60 teams from throughout the entire state of Florida all seeking to enjoy the marching and pageantry arts.

One team was our own Blue Radiance Winter Guard, coming off of a first place win at Freedom High School on Friday, February 9. Competing in a field of eight other Class AA teams the girls of Blue Radiance came out on top yet again! With a score of 64.67, marking an almost five-point improvement since Freedom, the girls earned another first place trophy. The team’s score also earned them their first superior rating of the season. 

We would like to thank all of our students, staff and volunteers, and the Riverview High School administration, for your support in making this year’s Showcase of Champions another huge success! 

Yesterday members of our Wind Ensemble—the Band Program’s premier ensemble—earned a Superior rating at the Florida Bandmasters Association District 7 Music Performance Assessment.

For their annual assessment the Wind Ensemble performed The Trombone King, Toccata, and Gaelic Rhapsody on stage for a panel of three adjudicators, in addition to two pieces for the sight reading adjudicator off stage.

Following their performance on stage and in the sight reading room, the band then had a short clinic with Dr. Brandon McDannald, assistant professor of music and director of bands at The University of Tampa. 

The girls of the Blue Radiance Winter Guard started their spring break nicely: they competed at the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit regional at Durant High School in Plant City and earned third place with a score of 70.10. 

As a result of their score at Durant the team also improved its FFCC seeding from number ten to six, out of a total 32 Class AA guards. The team’s final performance will be at the FFCC Championships at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Saturday, April 7. 

This past Saturday members of the Blue Radiance Winter Guard closed out the 2018 season at the Florida State Fairgrounds for the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit Championships. The team competed in the Kersten Division of Scholastic Class AA and earned 5th place with a score of 74.49. Throughout the season the team had an overall score improvement of over 21 points.

Congratulations to our girls for all of their hard work and thank you to all of the volunteers who made the season such a success!

The Color Guard Program will hold auditions for students wishing to join for the 2018–2019 school year on Wednesday, May 16 and Thursday, May 17 from 5:00–8:00pm. All students who are accepted into the program are required to march as the Blue Radiance Color Guard with the Blue Coat Regiment Marching Band for the fall marching season and then continue on with the Blue Radiance Winter Guard for the indoor winter season in the second semester.

All students in attendance should come dressed in dance attire (nothing loose or baggy) and bring bottled water to drink. No experience is required and all talent levels are welcome!

Please direct any questions to Band Program Staff Director Mr. Miller at travis@riverviewhsband.org. 

You can read more about the Blue Coat Regiment here and the Color Guard Program here.

All members of the Riverview Band Program—woodwind, brass, percussion and color guard—are required to march with the Blue Coat Regiment Marching Band during the fall. In order to best prepare our students for marching season the Blue Coat Regiment undertakes summer band days and a two-week long band camp.

Our 2018 summer schedule is below. We encourage all new families to contact Staff Director and Assistant Marching Band Director Mr. Miller at travis@riverviewhsband.org to be added to our email distribution list.

Color Guard Auditions

Wednesday, May 16 and Thursday, May 17, 5:00–8:00pm

Summer Band Days

Tuesday, June 12 and Wednesday, June 13, 4:00–8:00pm
Tuesday, June 26 and Wednesday, June 27, 4:00–8:00pm
Tuesday, July 10 and Wednesday, July 11, 4:00–8:00pm

Band Camp

Monday, July 23 – Thursday, July 26, 4:00–8:00pm
Tuesday, July 31 and Wednesday, August 1, 8:00am–8:00pm
Thursday, August 2 and Friday August 3, 4:00–8:00pm
Saturday August 4, 10:00am–5:00pm

Dinner with the Director

Saturday, August 4, 6:00pm

Summer Attendance Policy

Summer band days are used to help acclimate students with the transition from middle school band to a competitive high school band, so we strongly encourage all students to attend. Our staff and student leaders will teach students the basics of marching band and begin teaching show music—and get to know one another! While these days are not strictly mandatory, if your student is in town they should come, but if you already have plans, please enjoy your time together!

Band camp attendance is mandatory. Spots in the show are assigned to students who are at band camp, so every effort should be made to allow your student to attend all days. An absence from band camp could result in your student losing their spot in the show! Be sure to communicate any conflicts as soon as you know about them.

All dates, times and events are subject to change, addition and/or cancellation.

The 2018–2019 school year will see a change in leadership as Mr. B leaves Riverview High School to pursue his Master of Music degree in conducting at the University of South Florida. “It has been the greatest honor of my life to lead this phenomenal program. I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to my staff, Booster Board, school faculty and staff, and all of our volunteers to made everything—and I do mean everything—we do possible. Of course, we would all be nothing without our students. To my students that I have worked with for the last three years: thank you. Thank you for giving all you could to our program and to the music world. Never stop bettering yourselves!” said Mr. B.

With the departure of Mr. B, a familiar face will be coming back: Mr. Davis will return to Riverview High School as the director of instrumental music leading the Band Program and Orchestra Program, a position he previously held from 2007 to 2015 and where he was named Teacher of the Year in 2010. Mr. Davis is coming back stateside after moving to Melbourne, Australia in the summer of 2016 to attend The University of Melbourne’s Melbourne Graduate School of Education where he earned his Master of Education degree in leadership and management with high distinction in December 2017. Before this international move, the 2015–2016 school year saw Mr. Davis serve as a program consultant and show writer for the Band Program as he mentored and assisted other music teachers in the school district as a full-time peer evaluator. Mr. Davis earned his Bachelor of Science degree in music education summa cum laude from Penn State and a Master of Music in wind conducting from James Madison University.

In addition to an extensive background in marching band, Mr. Davis brings a wealth of knowledge from the world of Drum Corps International, having marched baritone with The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps from Allentown, Pennsylvania in 1989 and 1990 – winning world championships in the latter year; he would then go on to join the brass staff from 1993 to 1995, winning world championships again in 1993. Mr. Davis also has experience with the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps from Toledo, Ohio and the Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps from Reading, Pennsylvania.

In Australia Mr. Davis continued to be an active member of the arts community, serving as the associate conductor of the Grainger Wind Symphony where he debuted his new piece “Brazilian Folk Song Suite” in March 2018. As a conductor, Mr. Davis has served as music director for the historic Melbourne Tramways Brass Band and as a guest conductor for the Monash Concert Band.  Mr. Davis also conducted and taught band, orchestra, drumline, and brass and percussion lessons at Sacred Heart Girls’ College in Oakleigh and the highly acclaimed Blackburn and Eltham High Schools. Mr. Davis also worked as an adjudicator for the Victorian Schools Music Festival and as a clinician for school bands in the states of Victoria and New South Wales and was selected to provide lectures and professional development training at local schools, The University of Melbourne and for the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association. He also volunteered his time on Friday evenings to serve as director of the marching band for Syrian refugee children through the Australian Syrian Charity.

“I cannot wait to be coming home to the States, let alone returning to Riverview,” said Mr. Davis. “Mr. B has done tremendous things with the Band Program and I am incredibly excited to pick things up where he left them—at an all-time high.” 

Band Program Staff Director and Assistant Marching Band Director Mr. Miller will be staying with the Band Program, as will many members of our program staff. To find out more about Mr. Davis and his many accomplishments click here.

The Riverview Band Program is proud to announce that Suzanne Mason will be joining its program staff as the new Color Guard Program Sponsor.

“Mrs. Mason brings a wealth of knowledge to the Band and Color Guard Programs and will be able to provide new and fresh perspectives to ensure the upward trajectory that Mr. B and Mr. Rios have established for the girls of Blue Radiance only continues,” said Band Program Staff Director Travis Miller. 

Mrs. Mason works full-time as a science resource teacher at Reddick Elementary School in Wimauma and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Texas. She has been involved in science education for more than 20 years and has experience marching with both Drum Corps International and Winter Guard International.

Mrs. Mason will work as the Color Guard Program’s chief administrator and assist and support Color Guard Director Herman Rios in operational duties with the priority focus being on the student experience. Mrs. Mason will also serve as a color guard technician, lending her knowledge gained through years as a performer to help instruct our students.

2018 Blue Radiance Color Guard Roster

The Riverview Band Program is proud to announce the members of its Color Guard Program for the 2018 marching season. These students will perform with the Blue Radiance Color Guard as part of the larger Blue Coat Regiment Marching Band for the fall marching season.

The Riverview Band Program is proud to announce the selection of its drum majors and captains who will help lead the 2018 Blue Coat Regiment Marching Band over the summer and into the fall competitive season. 

Senior Leadership

Kacey Massena, Drum Major
Diane Johnson, Deputy Drum Major
Cortnee Godsey, Band Captain

Captains

Cindy Kenneth, Woodwind Captain
Raul Pereira, Brass Captain
Jaziah Nichols, Percussion Captain, Drumline
Life Glencer, Percussion Captain, Front Ensemble
Stacie Carey, Color Guard Captain
Carley'Ann McCall, Color Guard Captain
Cindy Kenneth, Uniform Captain
Marcus Torres, Uniform Captain
Jennifer Stephens, Uniform Captain
Braelynn Bolger, Uniform Captain

Congratulations to these outstanding young musicians! Selections for section leaders will be announced in due course.

Students looking to join the Riverview Band Program drumline should plan to attend our two days of auditions on Monday, June 11 and Tuesday, June 12 from 4:00–8:00pm. 

For more information please contact Band Program Staff Director Mr. Miller at travis@riverviewhsband.org.

Yesterday, Wednesday, May 24, Riverview High School held its graduation ceremony at the Florida State Fairgrounds where over 550 students crossed the stage to receive their diplomas and celebrate the end of their high school careers.

Of these students, 25 were members of the Band Program—and we could not be more proud!

We wish the very best to our now former members in all of their future endeavors, whether they attend a higher education institution, join our armed forces or focus on their careers—we know they will all continue the Riverview tradition of excellence!

For the 2018 marching season the Blue Coat Regiment will be attending two Florida Marching Band Championships regionals, hosting its fourth FMBC regional—The March—and attending the FMBC State Championships. Additionally, the Blue Coats will participate in the annual Florida Bandmasters Association District 7 Marching Music Performance Assessment. 

Making their competition debut on October 13 at Lecanto High School for the Panther Pride Invitational Marching Band Festival, this will mark the first appearance of the Blue Coat Regiment in this region of the state for an FMBC regional. The band will then take one week off before beginning their final four-week push to the end on October 27 with Marching MPA at Gaither High School, followed by the Newsome Music Festival at Newsome High School on November 3.

Following that, the Band Program will then host its own regional—The March—on November 10, a day designed to honor those who have served our nation’s armed forces and to recognize the dedication of those in the marching and pageantry arts. The band’s final weekend will see them taking the field for the FMBC State Championships on November 17.

In addition to their competition schedule, the Blue Coats will also appear at all home and most away games to support the Riverview Sharks varsity football team. The band will perform at the following games: 

Friday, August 24 vs. East Bay; Friday, August 31 at Freedom; Friday, September 7 vs. Chamberlain; Friday, September 21 vs. Newsome; Friday, September 28 homecoming vs. Steinbrenner; Friday, October 5 at Alonso; Friday, October 12 at Strawberry Crest; Friday, October 19 vs. Manatee and Friday, October 26 at Sarasota Riverview.

On October 19, Riverview High School will honor graduating members of the class of 2019 of the Blue Coat Regiment, varsity football team and cheerleading. This night will is also Middle School Band Night, where the band will welcome incoming 9th graders from feeder middle schools.

Note: this schedule is subject to change, cancellation and/or addition.

Saturday, October 13. The temperature reached 86° F with not a cloud in the sky. The Blue Coat Regiment Marching Band made its 2018 Florida Marching Band Championships season debut at the Lecanto High School Panther Pride Invitational Marching Band Festival—and it would be a day to remember.

After an early morning departure from Riverview, the band began its warm-up—the first of two as this regional was done in a prelims/finals format—at 12:15pm, and in another hour it was time for their first performance. It would be almost another two hours before the results from prelims would be in, but it was worth the wait!

The band earned a score of 68.825 and 2nd place for the first portion of the competition, which placed them in performing at the penultimate spot for finals right before the Steinbrenner High School Marching Warrior Brigade, the champions from prelims. 5:30pm came around, and so did the second warm-up of the day. By 7:00pm the band was off the field and awaiting the results from finals. 

7:53pm. Anticipation had been buzzing as places 11th through 3rd were announced. In 2nd place… Steinbrenner High School with a score of 71.825.

The Blue Coat Regiment had earned the grand championship—the first earned at an FMBC regional in the school’s history—with a score of 73.750. In addition, the band earned best overall awards for the captions of visual, general effect and color guard.

On Riverview’s first ever time performing in both prelims and finals at the same event, they earned the grand championship and made history.

A huge thank you goes out to all of our staff members, our Booster Board and our amazing volunteers for all of the dedication and hard work given in support of our students!!

The band has its next performance on Saturday, October 27 at Gaither High School for the annual Florida Bandmasters Association District 7 Marching Music Performance Assessment.

On Saturday, October 27 the Blue Coat Regiment Marching Band entered Gaither High School’s Death Valley Stadium for the 2018 Florida Bandmasters Association District 7 Marching Music Performance Assessment. This annual events sees all of Hillsborough County’s public high school marching bands converge on one site for their evaluation in the captions of visual performance, music—assessed by two judges—colorguard and percussion. Each judge can award a rating of either Superior, Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor.

The Blue Coat Regiment earned a Straight Superior rating, meaning each judge awarded the group the highest rating of Superior—the eighth time the marching band at Riverview has earned this honor. The date also marked the 16th overall Superior rating or better in Riverview’s history (in addition to the eight Straight Superior ratings the marching band has also earned eight overall Superior ratings).