Members of the Wando Marching Band once again raised the bar by delivering an award-winning performance at the 2022 Bands of America Regional Championships at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, October 22. The Warriors earned second place overall and won the Class 4A award for Outstanding Visual Effect during the day-long event with their show “Ascension.” The show represents all the challenges the band overcame since the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown.
“I am beyond proud of how we performed as a band,” explained Brendan Breen, Wando High School’s senior drum major. “Our band showed up ready to prove that obstacles from our previous years would not defeat us. The countless hours of rehearsal paid off, and we returned a stronger and more united Wando.”
Earlier in the day, Wando competed in the preliminaries with 28 other bands from as far away as Texas and Mississippi. The Wando Marching Band advanced to finals where, in front of a primetime audience with thousands of spectators in person and online, they delivered a stellar performance with a score of 87.525. This was Wando’s second appearance at Bands of America Orlando.
Kim Wilson, Wando’s interim principal, attended the competition. He was extremely proud of their performance.
“The members of our Wando Band and Color Guard are to be commended for their performance at the Bands of America Competition,” said Wilson. “Hard work, long hours on the practice field, determination, and perseverance was the key to their success. Our band directors and staff made sure that our students were well-prepared for the challenges of such a grueling competition. I want to personally thank our parents' volunteers for the many hours they devoted to ensuring that our performance went off without a hitch. Also, I appreciate the hundreds of band parents who made the trip to Orlando to cheer on their children. You truly made a difference. I was honored and proud to be the principal of one of the best bands in America.”
The Warriors will now march their way to the South Carolina State Championships on November 5, 2022, in Irmo, SC. They are working towards breaking their own state record of 13 state championship titles by winning number 14.
The Bands of Wando are under the direction of Bobby Lambert, Lanie Radecke, and Jeff Handel; Michael Gray is the Program Coordinator for the Wando Marching Band; and Brian Winn is the Director of Color guard. The Bands of Wando thank the community, the Charleston County School District, the Town of Mount Pleasant, its Harmony Sponsors, the Bands of Wando Foundation, parents, and alumni for their continued support. For more information visit WandoBands.org.
For more about the Warriors’ performance, contact E.C. Setser at (843) 345-1374 or ecsetser@yahoo.com.
