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Copiague Marching Band reaches new heights Copiague High School marching band director John Wevers wasn't sure where the journey his band's journey in 1985 would take them, but 22 years later, they're headed on another trip in uncharted territory. The Eagles became the first marching band from Long Island, and the third in New York, to be promoted to National Class, making them able to compete against the best competition in the country in major bowl games, on holidays and in national parades. "We've arrived at the ultimate point, the pinnacle," Wevers said. "The band is at the highest level, among the best in the nation." "It's a tremendous acknowledgement of all the hard work staff, students and the community have been putting in over the last two decades," said Andre H. Poprilo, coordinator of fine and technical arts at Copiague. Copiague was the first band from Long Island to actively compete in the New York State Field Band Conference, the first on Long Island to host a state wide show and the first on Long Island to win a state championship. "The championship titles will be fewer [at the national level]," Wevers said, "yet the band will be better than it's ever been because of the level of competition." The 150 members of the band put in about 20 hours of practice a week in the fall, a few Copiague Marching Band reaches highest level as National Class hours a week during the summer, 60 hours during band camp week at the end of August and compete in 10 competitions during the year. The state is divided in three levels of competition with large and small school categories. Copiague won the Large School Three Championship in 2002-03, the Large School Two Championship in 2005-06, "and the fact that we've been beating bands in the lower portion of the national class makes it obvious where we need to be competing," Wevers said. Since 1991, the band has won 16 championships in four different competition circuits. "We've had tremendous support from school administration and the Copiague High School Band Parents' Association," Wevers said. Wevers deserves credit too. "He embodies the Copiague spirit," Poprilo said. "He believes in what the district stands for in promoting our students to achieve excellence."
Next year, the band's field show will feature music from Broadway's Les Miserables and they'll be playing at the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. Wevers said he has an application in for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as well.
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