LHS Mighty Leopard Band Raising Funds to Get to New York

and Sight Reading. This is the third consecutive year for the LHS Band to achieve this award. Their concert program included “Second Suite in F, Movement 1. March” by Gustav Holst, “Sleep” by Eric Whitacre, and “Shepherd’s Hey” by Percy Grainger.

With all three of LGISD’s UIL concert bands having earned a Sweepstakes Award, they were still just beginning their concert season run.

On April 13, the Mighty Leopard Band performed in Dallas at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center for the American Classic Lone Star Music Showcase. The Meyerson is one of the premiere concert halls in Texas, serving as the home of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Dallas Wind Symphony, and regularly hosting A-List musical acts. Their performance earned a Division 1 - Superior Rating. Additionally, the band was awarded a trophy for Outstanding Performance in recognition of the panel being unanimous in their Superior ratings.

“April is typically a slower month performance wise,” noted Chris Cooper, the Director of Bands. “Which is good. It gives us time to work up new music for May. But we’re also doing numerous workshops to prepare for next year. On top of that, April is extremely busy for our numerous Athlete-Musicians who are wrapping up their seasons, along with UIL Academics and One Act Play. So they get space to give their all to those activities when they’re needed the most.”

On Friday, May 3, the Band Department presented its 3rd Annual Night of Percussion at the LGISD PAC. This concert was well received by the community and featured both middle school and high school percussion ensembles. The event included solos by Trey Dalton, Gabriel Vega, and the recently hired Assistant Director Jacob Stephenson. The concert concluded with a drum circle featuring all percussion students from grades 7-12, where they showcased their improvisation skills and collaborative spirit.

Cooper notes, “Our percussion students took a morale hit at the start of the year without a dedicated percussion teacher on staff. But they rebounded and had a tremendous year. Mr. Stephenson was hired mid-year and has been a wonderful addition to the staff.”

The LHS Band gave their biggest peak performance of the year on Saturday, May 4, at the UIL State Wind Ensemble Festival held on the campus of the University of Texas - Austin, repeating their UIL program from Bastrop and Dallas. Their concert was recognized with a “Distinguished Performance” Award. Additionally, Westin Smith, a senior, was awarded a UIL State Music Gold Medal for his euphonium solo in the March from Holst’s “Second Suite in F”. This is the second year in a row an LHS Band member has been recognized as a UIL State Champion Soloist.

On Friday, May 10, the LMS Bands and LES Beginner Band traveled to San Antonio to perform at Six Flags Fiesta Texas as part of their Music in the Parks Festival. The middle school bands repeated their UIL programs, but each added a new tune. The Concert Band performed “Pevensey Castle” by Robert Sheldon, and the Symphonic Band performed “Arabian Dances” by Brian Balmages, both of which represented a significant step up in challenge for the students. Both bands earned Division 1 - Superior Ratings for their performances! The Beginner Band performed “Synergy March” by William Owens and “Mechanical Monsters” by Randall Standridge, also earning a Division 1 - Superior rating. Despite challenging conditions from the wind and noise from a nearby roller coaster, the bands impressed both the directors and adjudicators with their maturity and musicality.

On Monday, May 13, the LES Beginner Band and LMS Bands presented their Spring Concerts at the LGISD PAC. The bands repeated their programs from the Music in the Parks Festival, and the Beginner Band also showcased additional solo music from their band books. Each concert was very well received by the community, and without the distraction of wind and roller coasters, they gave their best performances of the year, garnering a standing ovation.

“Our middle school program had its best year ever!” explained Cooper, “The students were incredible to work with, and Eric Daniels (Assistant Director) did an outstanding job leading them.”

The LHS Band performed their annual Spring Concert on May 20. Their program included their contest pieces, the Alma Mater, and two newly prepared works. The first was “Purple and Gold,” an original composition by senior Jose Estrada, dedicated to the band. Not only was this the world premiere of “Purple and Gold” but also Estrada’s debut as a conductor, as the band performed the piece under his direction. They closed with “Vesuvius” by Frank Ticheli, a nine and a half minute marathon of modern band literature, marking their greatest musical challenge to date. At the end of “Vesuvius,” the crowd erupted in applause.

On Saturday, May 25, the UIL Texas State Solo & Ensemble qualifers showcased their talents at Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville. Everyone performed well, and seven of the thirty qualifiers left with a total of nine UIL State Medals.

UIL TSSEC Bronze Medalists, Division 1 on a Class 1 Ensemble: Percussion Ensemble: Trey Dalton, Gabriel Vega, Marissa Muras, Vanessa Adams, Travis Hill UIL TSSEC Silver Medalists, Division 2 on a Class 1 Solo: Jose Estrada, Trumpet; Westin Smith, Euphonium; Gabriel Vega, Percussion UIL TSSEC Gold Medalist, Division 1 on a Class 1 Solo: Trey Dalton, Percussion May capped off a banner year for the La Grange ISD Bands - a testament to the students’ dedication and talent.

“The students at La Grange are the best of any place I’ve been at,” said Chris Cooper, “But even within that, I would argue these Band Students are a cut above the rest. They stay on top of their grades, are just as dedicated as their peers in athletics and other activities, and do the band activity at a very high level on top of it. That’s the level of character and life skills that help you stand the test of time. We could not be more proud!”

In an exciting culmination to an already remarkable year, the La Grange High School Band has been accepted to perform at the New York Invitational Music Festival at Carnegie Hall, hosted by Troen Student Performance Events, on March 10, 2025. The news was met with overwhelming excitement from the students, who have been preparing diligently for this opportunity since the beginning of the year. Understanding the prestige of Carnegie Hall, where legendary musicians like Tchaikovsky, Mahler, George Gershwin, Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, and The Beatles have performed, inspired the students to reach new heights in their musical journey.

“We told them early in the year we planned to go to New York. They also knew we were applying for Carnegie Hall, but stressed they would have to sound near professional to have a shot. It became a strong motivator as we prepared our concert program,” said Cooper.

The NYIMF showcases six bands from around the country. The selection committee required a recording of the band’s recent concert program and a list of accolades, serving as a quality check to ensure only elite groups perform. The program director expressed enthusiasm for the LHS Band’s participation, impressed by their challenging literature and high-quality performance.

“When I finally got to share the news we had been accepted, the students were so excited! We actually snagged the last spot in the lineup,” Cooper added.

This opportunity is not only a significant milestone for the students but also elevates the band program to new heights, showcasing their talents on a national stage and opening doors for future opportunities. However, achieving this dream requires substantial financial support. The cost for each student to perform at Carnegie Hall is $650, plus an additional $1,130 for local transit, hotel in Manhattan, dinners, and sightseeing activities. Flights are expected to cost $450/person round trip, for a total trip cost of $2,230 per student. “That is a huge ask for our families. My concern is we may not have enough students able to participate to meet the festival’s minimum requirement. We need to bring the cost per student down to a more reasonable level if we’re going to pull this off,” Cooper explained.

With 75 students in this year’s band, the Booster Club aims to raise $48,750 to cover the Carnegie Hall performance, while individual fundraising efforts will help manage the remaining costs. The band has already paid a $1,000 deposit, and the Booster Club has pledged $10,000 from past fundraising efforts, bringing them to 23% of their target. Director Cooper and Booster Officers plan to reach out to local charities, foundations, and other organizations between now and the end of July.

For the non-Carnegie Hall portion, student fundraisers include a Band Booster Club Sponsorship Drive (launching July 22), where 50% of sponsorships will go directly to individual student accounts, a football concession stand credit, and a catalog fundraiser later in the Fall. The Booster Club is exploring additional opportunities to help with the total cost.

For those interested in supporting the band’s journey to Carnegie Hall, donations through the La Grange High School Band Booster Club are tax-deductible. Interested donors can reach out to Chris Cooper at chris.cooper@lgisd.net to schedule a meeting or discuss potential contributions.

The La Grange ISD Bands have set a high bar for excellence, and with the community’s support, they are poised to make their mark on one of the world’s most prestigious stages.