Greene Central High School band makes history, goes viral
SNOW HILL — A video of the Greene Central High School band celebrating a historic victory at the North Carolina Bandmasters Association (NCBA) Music Performance Adjudication (MPA) has gone viral, racking up over 5 million views and more than 778,000 likes on social media.
The video, posted by Haley Kinzler (@haleykinzler80), captures the emotional moment as band director Andrew Howell addresses his students after their performance. Howell, who has served as the band and choir director at Greene Central since 2019, can be heard praising the students for their dedication and perseverance.
"Like I said, this is a growing experience. You're the first students to do this in 38 years," Howell tells the students in the video. "And just coming and being a part of this was a really important thing. It makes you the first to do this but also the first in school history to get us a superior, the highest score possible, at NCBA Music Performance Adjudication."
Kinzler, reflecting on the moment and the accomplishment, expressed pride in the band's achievements in response to the viral attention. "Not only our school's first time going back to MPA in 38 years, but the first time in recorded history of our school winning superior!" she wrote. "Don’t give up—it’s worth it. We got judged on our music and got a bunch of 1’s across the board to get the best award there was."
The NCBA MPA is a rigorous event where bands perform music and receive evaluations on their technical and musical abilities. Earning a superior rating is the highest honor awarded at the competition.
The viral moment has drawn praise and support from alumni and community members, with many expressing pride in the band’s historic achievement.
Image from Greene County Bands Facebook page
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