The Sound of Our Future An Interview with Adrian Wright, Dillon High School Band Director I’m here at Dillon High School with the Band Director, Mr. Adrain Wright. How are you doing today? Pretty good. How are you? Pretty good. I’ve been watching some things and following you for years now. I just like what you are doing for the kids here at Dillon High and also making an impact in the community. Could you tell the people a little about yourself. Once again, my name is Adrian Wright, a native of Columbia, South Carolina. I attended South Carolina State University. Upon graduating from there, I came to Dillon in 1999 and been here every since. 1999. Well, I’ve been here and I went to school here also graduated and was in the band. I just want to know some things here. We found a couple of band directors that flossed away through the years, what has been the key purpose of you staying focused on persistence in being here? It was just a nice community to work with and the kids always work hard. There’s a good talent base. It’s just a real good community. What are some future projects you’re looking forward to doing with the band and some of the things you look forward to implementing into the program here. Have you already settled to where you want to be? This year one of our biggest focus to get the Jazz ensemble up and running. We had one in the past. So we want to bring that back. We want to continue to make strives in our marching band. We will be competing in the Lower State Championship in Class 2A this year. So we are hoping to have a good showing there. We are continuing to make improvements with our concert band. This year we are making an effort to pursue an award called the Outstanding Performance Award. It is a point-based award where we have to participate in several events throughout the course of the school year. Those are goals for this year. Great! What are some of the competitions or awards shows that Dillon High School Band participate in now? This year we will be going to Greenville County High School Band Competion and host it. This will be our first time going to that. Is that in Greenville, North Carolina or South Carolina? North Carolina. Okay. We are going to Charlotte, North Carolina for Phillip O. Berry Band Competion. We will be doing the Lower State 2A Band Competion, which will be in Charleston, South Carolina. We will be hosting our own competition, the Dillon Battle of the Bands on October 4, 2014 in Dillon, South Carolina. We will also be in Orangeburg for the Garden City Classic. Outstanding! Are you currently looking for any sponsors for the Dillon Battle of the Bands? Yes, always. How can someone sponsor? Is there any information about how to contact you or websites that will tell them what to do? DEVINE GLORY MAGAZINE 11 They can call Dillon High School at 843-841-3882. We have several ways you can sponsor. You can purchase an ad in our ad booklet or you can sponsor one of the award trophies we have three different levels for that. For information, call me at 843-841-3882. Mr. Wright what inspired you to become a band director? Was that what you wanted to do growing up? What led you in this field? It was my senior year and like most seniors that anticipate going to college, I was just trying to figure out what I wanted to major in. During the fall at band practice, my my director was interviewed for a local television show and he was asked the question what made him want to be a band director. His response was he enjoyed music and performing music. He wanted to pass that enjoyment on to others, and it kind of struck me. I decided then that I wanted to follow in his footsteps and become a band director. How can readers find out more about the band. Does the band have a website where they can find out more about the band. The school district keeps up with us, but due to certain policies we are not allowed to host our own website at this time. Okay, so they can still contact you by calling 843-841-3882. It’s been a joy talking to you and having you here and being a part of the Devine Glory Magazine.
12 Publizr Home