The Cooper Middle School Band program has been selected by the John Philip Sousa Foundation to receive the 2021 Sudler Cup, an international award honoring concert bands at the secondary-school level for outstanding musical excellence.
Only 60 schools have received this award since its inception in 1985.
“I am so proud of what our students have accomplished. And not just the current students, but all of the students over the past nine years who have shaped the program into what it is today. We have a fantastic community, administration, and elementary school feeder programs that I never take for granted. I am just so happy to be a part of their program,” said Matt Baker, band director at Cooper.
To be eligible for nomination for the award a middle school band must have achieved and maintained high standards of excellence in the concert area over a period of seven years under the same conductor. Although the band’s concert activities receive the most attention in the selection process, the program in the school must be a complete one and include participation in solo and ensemble, district band, and activities by its individual members.
The band must have performed at several state and national level conferences, received letters of recognition and recommendations from prominent educators and conductors, as well as submit years of concert programs and recordings.
The band is scheduled to be presented with the Sudler Cup by the John Philip Sousa Foundation at the band’s spring concert.