While at a music festival this month, the Natchez High School Band played its way into becoming the top ranked bank at the event.

The band and flag corps won first place in five categories and was selected as the overall sweepstakes winner at the Musical Adventures Festival at Universal Studios, Orlando, Fla.

&uot;You’re always pleasantly surprised because you never know what you are getting into,&uot; said Larry Buckley, NHS band director, about the awards.

You never know the caliber of the other bands or the number of other bands competing, he added.

Natchez High sent 125 of its 140 band students to the event. The students competed against bands from mostly the Southeast, Buckley said.

About 12 to 15 bands attended, including Natchez High School and three other bands that competed in the AAA division.

Natchez High won first place in percussion, flags, concert and parade for the AAA division and first overall for having the highest combined concert and parade scores of all the bands at the festival.

The band directors, Buckley, Dale Young, Omar Cavazos, Lee Moyer, William Mitchell and Elisha Havard, look at the band’s performance as a bonus to what they are trying to accomplish.

&uot;We don’t go to win. We go to do our best,&uot;&160;Buckley said. &uot;If we win — great.&uot;

The band won sweepstakes for having the highest combined scores in all categories out of all bands at the festival.

Buckley attributes some of the band’s success to the behavior of the students.

&uot;They’re a good group of students,&uot; he said &uot;The better discipline — the better outcome.&uot;

Currently, 140 Natchez High students are in the band, but next year that number is expected to be more than 170.

The directors think the band is growing because the district provides band to Natchez-Adams County Students starting at fifth-grade. These students are able to become acquainted with the band directors at an early age, Buckley said.

&uot;We’re able to bring the children with us along through the grades,&uot;&160;Buckley said. &uot;Working together is what makes it grow.&uot;