Local News - November 2003

14 bands attend Carolina Classic

By SARAH GRANO, Staff Writer

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Music filled the air.

Families cheered for their bands, and marching band members discovered how hot wool uniforms can be on a warm day at the 14th annual Carolina Classic.

The band competition took place at East Lincoln High School. East Lincoln and North Lincoln high schools hosted the fund-raising band competition.

 “It’s good because we get to have fun and be with each other one last time,” said Curt Begert, a sophomore band member at North Lincoln.

With the opening of North Lincoln this fall, East Lincoln’s band split between the schools.

After working there for 20 years, East Lincoln’s band director went to North Lincoln, and a new director came to East Lincoln.

“It’s a misconception among some people that the two bands are at each other’s throats,” said Dustin Stamey, East Lincoln’s new band director.

“There’s always going to be friendly competition between county bands, but the kids really are still friends.”

The two bands worked together to make the competition happen. Students made signs, hosted visiting bands and worked concession stands.

The 14-band competition was expected to raise between $15,000 and $20,000 for the schools.

“It’s a huge fund raiser. It’s the biggest one we do here at East Lincoln,” Stamey said. “It pulls in a lot of money for us, and that helps the band out in trips, travel and buying new instruments.”

The two hosting high schools could not compete in the competition, but they did perform for the crowd as exhibition bands.

The competition marked the last time many senior students played with their bands.

Lincolnton High was the only county band to compete in the competition.

Lauren Link, a senior at the school, had performed at the Carolina Classic five years in a row.

“It’s kind of a tradition,” she said. “Everybody was excited to come, but I’m kind of sad because it’s my last year, and I’ll have to tell all my new and old friends goodbye.”

The previous two weekends Lincolnton High had won grand championships

The band waited its turn to compete in a very hot parking lot. The black band uniforms soaked up the sun.

“These are wool,” said Casey Mason, a sophomore Lincolnton band member. “They don’t feel very good. It’s horrible, but it’s for a good cause.”

Band members and staff of the two hosting schools were not the only ones who braved the heat to support a good cause.

Band parents from both North Lincoln and East Lincoln worked booths.

“It’s a lot of hard work being a band parent,” said Sharon Jones, whose daughter attends East Lincoln.

“It’s her third year, and I’ve been to every football game this year, every band competition with them.”

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Staff Writer Sarah Grano can be reached at 704-735-3031 or sgrano@ltnews.com

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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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