Ponte Vedra High School’s Marching Band, the “Ocean of Sound”, traveled to the Florida Marching Band Competition in Daytona Beach Nov. 23 for the band’s last performance of 2019. Their show, entitled “Odyssey,” did not win an award, but their performance was well received and capped off a successful season. Jermaine Reynolds, Band Director, and his staff put together a modern and visually engaging show which became a judges’ favorite at the various competitions the band attended.
In early October, the Ocean of Sound traveled to Leesburg, FL for the Central Florida Marching Arts Invitational. Competing against twelve other bands from around the state, the band placed first in Division 4A and placed second overall for the entire competition, including beating two larger Division 5A schools.
A week later, the band traveled to Fleming Island to compete in the Golden Eagle Classic. Featuring 18 high school marching bands primarily from Northeast Florida, the competition provided the Ocean of Sound an opportunity to observe other marching bands and refine their show. The Ocean of Sound dazzled the crowd, winning not just Division 4A, but the entire competition. The judges rated the band as superior and best in class in all categories, but Band Director Jermaine Reynolds said he was especially proud that the judges’ awarded the Auxiliary (color guard) a superlative of “Outstanding” for the first time in the band’s history, as well as, an “Outstanding” for Percussion.
In early November, the Ocean of Sound competed in the Kingdom of the Sun Marching Band Festival where again they won not only their class, but the entire competition. In recognition of how hard the band and the entire staff had worked during the season, the judges scored the Ocean of Sound as “Distinguished” for General Effect, Percussion, Auxiliary, and Drum Major. That was another first for the band.
Almost thirty percent of the band are new members, and the Ocean of Sounds’ many wins and continued improvement throughout the season gave everyone a glimpse of what the band can accomplish next year as they continue to practice and develop.
