Over the holiday break, the Bishop Noll Marching Warriors were honored with the opportunity to perform in the Liberty Bowl halftime show down in Memphis, Tennessee. The band left for Memphis the day after Christmas to begin what would be a first for the band in school history.

   “I would definitely say that this experience was beneficial. This is the first time a Bishop Noll band has EVER traveled to and participated in a college bowl game,” said senior band member Mary Lowry. While in Memphis, the band also participated in jazz, concert and parade competitions, as well as the Liberty Bowl, and were able to visit a few of the famous sites including Elvis’s home of Graceland and Sun Studios, where Elvis and many other musical legends recorded their hit songs. “While in Memphis, at the concert and jazz band competitions, we were able to actually work with one of the judges and play through our music with them directing. It was a great experience to have, and the band definitely learned a lot from it,” she said.

Another senior band member Daniel Cuevas, feels that the band also benefited musically. “This experience presented huge musical challenges to the band because we were competing against some top-notch bands. However, we faced and conquered them, giving us more confidence and motivation to go even further than this,” he said.

The main event of the band’s trip to Memphis, the Liberty Bowl, was a gainful experience for all of them. “There’s not a way to describe the way it feels to stand on a field in front of 60,000 people and play with such a well-known group like The Commodores,” said Lowry. “The band received four plaques in Memphis. We received plaques for participating in the different competitions. There was one for the field show competition, the parade competition, the concert band competition, and the jazz band competition. We were the only band that participated in all of the competitions available.”

Cuevas also received a personal award, in addition to the band’s awards as well. Out of 500 other students participating, Cuevas was honored with receiving the MVP Award. “Each band director nominated one member of their band for the MVP Award. The judges then evaluated these nominees from afar, deciding which nominee fit the description best for the award. The winner of the award had to be a musician who embodied determination, character, sacrifice, and excellence for their band and their craft, while also inspiring his or her bandmates,” he said. “I was in total shock when my name was called for the award. I believed I fit the description for the award, but I did not believe I would actually win because Bishop Noll and its musicians were the underdogs compared to the huge bands that were there too. I had the biggest smile going up to the stage to receive my award. I was so honored to receive such a prestigious award. I’m still in shock that I was actually voted MVP.”

Overall, the Bishop Noll band placed third out of thirteen in their field show competition with their show “Band Wars”, and gained recognition musically as well as rewards personally. “We bonded so much and had a blast with each other,” said Cuevas. “At the tour, I saw and experienced the beginning of new friendships, the rekindling of old ones, and love within the band.”