Eunice Junior High band takes home sweepstakes at district festival

Lawrence Sassau Jr., a fifth-year band director at Eunice Junior High School, and 21 of his band students, made a name for the school, parish and district.
Sassau and students recently competed at UL Lafayette during the annual school band district festival where the band members took home the Sweepstakes, and all superior (or 1) ratings. Approximately 40 other junior high bands participated at the district festival.
“They received superior ratings for their stage performance and sight reading,” said Sassau.
According to Sassau, “Each band is judged on pitch, tone, intonation, technique, balance, interpretation, and musical effect.”
Competition at district involved three pre-selected pieces and a sight reading piece that the band has not seen.
“This is their third consecutive year to earn such a huge accomplishment. No other school in St. Landry Parish has ever earned such distinction,” said Lakesha Miller, principal at Eunice Junior High.
Since the junior high band won superior ratings and the Sweepstakes, band members will have the honor and opportunity to advance to state competition in April in Lake Charles.
Sassau tells his students each day, “Do your very best and let God take care of the rest.”
He is also a strong believer in “practice makes perfect,” as his students practice hours for different competitions.
He teaches 50 junior high band students each day.
Sassau also teaches band at Central Middle School.
Sassau serves as a mentor teacher for students in the UL music education program. He was a guest clinician for the 2016 Acadia Parish Middle School Honor band on Jan. 14-Jan. 16.