The Catawba Ridge High School band had a remarkable weekend at the Winter Guard International Percussion and Winds World Championship, bringing home gold medals in both the Winds and Percussion divisions. The championships took place at various universities from April 18-21, with units from around the world competing in scholastic and independent divisions, divided into classes A, Open, and World.
Catawba Ridge competed in the Percussion Scholastic Concert World and Winds Scholastic Open categories. In only their second year in the division, the indoor winds group placed third in prelims with an impressive music score. However, they made a remarkable comeback in the finals on Sunday, clinching first place in music and visual to secure the gold medal in the Winds Scholastic Open with a score of 91.625.
The school’s indoor percussion ensemble also had a standout performance, winning first place in their prelims and securing high music and artistry awards in the Concert World class. In the finals, the percussion group once again took first place and earned gold with a score of 95.350. This victory marked their first world championship title since finishing third in 2022 and second in 2023.
Notably, Catawba Ridge High School’s bands are only the second group from South Carolina to win a World Class World Championship in percussion since Fort Mill High School achieved the feat in 2003 and 2005. Their impressive achievements at the championships highlight their dedication, talent, and hard work.
