FEATURE PAGE
August 22, 2019



LET THE MUSIC BEGIN!
Award-winning SSS Band will be marching
into a new season at home on Friday night

Brian Jones (shown at work on the right) is starting his 17th season as band director at Smithfield-Selma High School.

The marching Spartans are currently 116 strong as they prepare for the football games, parades, and competition events between now and the end of December.

"We've got 41 rookies this year," Mr. Jones told the Sun.

To the casual observer, that was hard to distinguish at Tuesday evening's rehearsal. It was evident this group has already put in many hours of work to get to the point of organization evident at that practice.

"Some of you are learning to recover quickly from your mistakes," Director Jones told the band. "I want all of you to learn to do that."

The band will make its season debut at Friday night's football home-opener at SSS. They'll be doing the first segment of this year's competition piece entitled "Shattered."

Mr. Jones told them not to expect perfection just yet. That will come as the season progresses, he promised.
Aug. 23        Home Football vs. Spring Creek
Sep. 13        Home Football vs. North Johnston
                      (Homecoming)
Sep. 20        Home Football vs. Corinth-Holders
Sep. 28        Competition #1 @ Cleveland HS
Oct. 5          Selma Railroad Days Parade
Oct. 5          Competition #2 @ John A. Holmes HS
Oct. 18-21   Competition #3 @ Tarpon Springs, Fla. HS
Oct. 25        Home Football vs. South Johnston
                      (Middle School Band Night)
Oct. 26        Competition #4 @ Sanderson HS
Nov. 1         Home Football vs. Clayton HS
                     (Senior Night)
Nov. 2         Competition #5 @ Havelock HS
Dec. 3         Selma Christmas Parade
Dec. 7         Wilson's Mills Christmas Parade
Dec. 12       Smithfield Christmas Parade
Since Director Jones took charge in 2003, the marching Spartans have excelled, especially in the competitive events they enter.

We'll be tracking their progress this fall with reports each time they compete.

At right is the fall season's performance calendar....


Below are more scenes from Tuesday evening's rehearsal....