Black Knights band garnering widespread attention
It had been a while since Robbinsville High School fielded a marching band in state competitions.
But judging from how the team performed in two competitions this year, the Black Knights Marching Band is a force to be reckoned with.
Outfitted with fresh, new uniforms – purchased thanks to a community fundraiser – the Knights did more than show up on the field: they dominated the field.
Almost 30 bands participated in The Land of the Sky Marching Band Festival at Enka High School on Sept. 24. Robbinsville High School went head-to-head against East Henderson High School and Bessemer High School.
The Black Knights band won first places for percussion, color guard and music, and third place for drum major (earned by Drum Major Aidan Holder).
The band also placed first in class and won the Performance Award.
Then Oct. 8, Robbinsville High School’s band brought home another arm-load of awards from the A.C. Reynolds Cedar Cliff Classic in Asheville.
Besides an overall score of “excellent,” the band took first place in colorguard, second place in drum major and percussion, and third place in class and music.
But it was the A.C. Reynolds Cedar Cliff Classic Rocket Award – the top award of the day – that Band Director Amber Watkins points to with particular pride.
“I’m just so proud of them,” she said.
Robbinsville High School’s marching band was one of the least experienced on the field, going up against well-oiled, large-school programs that have been competing for years.
In earning the Rocket Award, Robbinsville’s musicians demonstrated the best professionalism, attitude and enthusiasm throughout the day, Watkins said.
“It’s the ultimate thing they could have received,” Watkins said.
Watkins became band director last year, inheriting a band whose members had no experience with competition.
She has been focusing on fundamentals required for award-winning performances and entered two competitions (one was cancelled) this year, with the goal of showing band members first-hand what is expected of them to be competitive.
Winning awards was not the main focus; much less winning top awards.
“Let me tell you, they’re doing it,” Watkins said.
Watkins is herself a product of Graham County Schools. She has been teaching music for 27 years and has held band director, assistant director and other positions at other schools before returning to Robbinsville High School.
“I love being back home,” she said.
Robbinsville was an unknown going into the competitions, but went out being the band everyone was talking about, she said.
The competitions are over for the year – a planned competition in Bristol, Tenn., was cancelled because of Hurricane Ian – and the Robbinsville High School Marching Band is returning to the field to support Black Knights football and other sports.
Watkins said she will be training her musicians to participate in parades.
The band is unaccustomed to long marching, although one of her musicians logged 6.6 miles at the A.C. Reynolds competition.