Sweet Victory for Liberty’s Lions’ Pride Marching Band at Hershey

Last night, the Lions’ Pride Marching Band from Liberty High School in Eldersburg, Maryland won 1st place at the Tournament of Bands’ Atlantic Coast Championships at Hersheypark Stadium (PA).

The Open Class/Group 3 win was 38 years in the making, and last night the hunt was on. As the Pride took the field to perform their show “Beneath the Surface” a roaring energy was in the air as the music began to play. Spectators from all over the Atlantic Coast region from New York to North Carolina watched Maya Lee commanded her band. Lee received the award for Best Drum Major and also was presented with a $2,000 senior scholarship. Liberty went into the competition ranked first place with a 94.25, and kept that first place by earning a score of 98.00. The 57 fierce musicians took home Best Music. The entire marching band ensemble including 16 color guard members earned the award for Best Visual.

Student section leaders included Maya Lee, drum major; Natalie Beller, Horn Sargent and saxes/flutes; Emily Parent, trumpets; Andrew Barker, low brass; Jack Vaccarino, battery; Ciara Marshall, front ensemble; Nina Elsner and Emma Warner, color guard. For the past fifteen years, the band has been under the direction of Brandi Jason, a four time Grammy Music Educator nominee. During the season she would often go back to a page from her playbook to have the Pride “refine tempo maintenance and set 64A to the end of Part 3 drill design.” The music-and-marching education instructors team is made up of David Fisher, Assistant Band Director, Thomas Vail and Owen Borders, marching; Brian Foltz, Kenny Gleisner and Christian Bachman, battery; Jim Hagan and Alexandra Adamson, front ensemble; Sara McDougall, Katie Greco and Christine Metzger, color guard.

For years to come, the music department’s showcase wall will display the trophies and the competition flag from the Lions’ Pride sweetest victory in the school’s marching band history. A new tradition started in 2018 by “the best band in Candyland” at the ACC.