The MHS Marching Band might be tiny compared to Quincy’s, which appears to have over 250 people in its marching band this year. But this didn’t stop Milton from having a stellar performance at both the MICCA (Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association) competition on Oct. 19th at Norwood High School and at State Finals on Oct. 26th in Quincy at Veterans Memorial stadium. 

This medal-and-star-based competition was founded by a group of music educators led by Paul M. Alberta. The number of stars you receive from the judges determines if you get a bronze, silver, or gold medal. Specifically, bronze is three stars, silver is four, and gold is five. 

“There is always some pressure that we feel as band directors to deliver the best show possible so at each competition, there are the natural nerves and anticipation that come with performing and getting feedback on our performance,” said Rebbecca Damiani, the director of the MHS Marching Band,  “The hope is that the band performs well and the judges’ feedback is useful and reflective of the performance.” 

A band’s performance on the day of MICCA determines its showtime at State Finals, which occurs the following week. The Wildcats have been participating in this competition since 2014. They received three stars and a bronze medal last year. This year, however, MHS earned three stars at MICCA regionals with their “Dreams” show before working their way up to a four-star performance and taking home a silver medal at State Finals this past weekend! 

Preparation for MICCA begins two full weeks before the school year starts. In the next month and a half, while the marching band gets ready to perform at Milton’s home football games, they also put in the work to make their performances the best they can be, with rehearsals as early as 6:45 am. “You can never really prepare enough,” said Damiani, “there is always work to be done, so having a clear rehearsal plan and schedule and communicating that out to students and staff is really important.” 

One of the most important pieces about performing at MICCA is the music – specifically, how well the bands perform it and the effect it has on the judges. Damiani described how in order to choose the perfect set of music, the staff begins by “storyboarding” the show, or brainstorming both a theme that performers will connect and songs that might fit it best. Once chosen, the songs are specially arranged to show off each musician’s strengths throughout the performance.

“For example, this year, I knew I wanted to use Beyonce’s ‘Sweet Dream’ in a reimagined ballad setting–but we weren’t set on the rest of the show,” said Damiani. “The staff spent several months listening to different songs, creating playlists and scenarios where we could connect those songs and then we eventually settled on our show that had the theme of ‘Dream’ carrying through.”  

For the MHS Marching Band, a typical day at MICCA is as exciting as it is hectic. “The bus ride is a lot of mental preparation because once we arrive at [the] competition, everything is scheduled out to the minute until we perform,” said Damiani. 

Once Milton’s marching band performs and debriefs their performance, its staff listens to the judges’ feedback in order to prepare for a meeting at the end of the competition that involves the entire band receiving suggestions on how to improve. Throughout the day, students are also given time to watch the other bands perform, get food, and of course connect with other musicians. 

According to Damiani, the most important and admiring aspect of MICCA is “the community and the pride of the marching band community in general.” She said that, “...As a director, it’s exciting to see other bands and what they are working on. We are all supportive of each other’s programs throughout the season.”