OLD ORCHARD BEACH – It was an evening of sound and color as 11 marching bands took to the field at Thornton Academy on Saturday for the 30th annual Maine High School Marching Band finals.

South Portland, Westbrook and Old Orchard Beach high schools all took home gold medals – with Westbrook being the only Maine band to earn a score of five stars, the highest possible score, in all scoring categories.

In addition, the bands from Dover and Portsmouth high schools in New Hampshire also earned five stars in all categories. The band from Sanford High School earned a silver medal, with a score of four stars in several categories.

The Maine Band Directors Association held the finals at Hill Stadium at Thornton Academy in Saco because that was where the very first statewide competition was held in 1983.

Hundreds of fans and supporters turned out for the marching band finals and most of the bands earned standing ovations as they left the field.

Westbrook High School band director Kyle Smith called earning a perfect score at the marching band finals “amazing.” And, he said, “to achieve your goal in all categories was very rewarding. It is a really good lesson for all of us that hard work and planning pays off.”

During the Westbrook show, the Earth literally took center stage, with color guard member Leah Driesen dancing with a papier mache ball painted to resemble the Earth from space.

Entitled “The Earth Has Music For Those Who Will Listen,” it was a highly visual show with the color guard dressed in Earth-toned costumes and painted palettes of natural scenes providing the backdrop.

Smith said the entire marching band staff helped develop the idea for the show.

“We thought about the beauty of the Earth and how it would be nice to do a show that celebrated that beauty. At the same time we wanted to make it interesting enough to catch the attention of even the most casual audience member,” Smith said.

To do that, the band used a lot of different devices, such as the Earth ball as a center prop, backdrops of Earth scenes, and the hymn “For the Beauty of the Earth.” The show closed with a dramatic rendering of “Simple Gifts.”

Smith said, “In addition to the music, the color guard costuming, flag design and drill design all really helped the show concept succeed.”

The backdrops used in the show were painted by alumni Andrew Correa, who is a freshman at Virginia Tech. Smith said that Correa “was a big part of the music program while in the Westbrook schools and he’s also a very talented artist. He volunteered his time, along with Danielle Good and Paul Gorham back in August.”

The drum majors were Delaney Baither and Megan Zabenko. The music was arranged by Terry White and the drill design was by Jeff King.

Smith said the successful end to the season wouldn’t have been possible without the commitment of the kids in the band, who, he said, “are a wonderful group of human beings that make coming to work every day a true pleasure.”

He also thanked the parent volunteers. He said they were “the engine behind this marching band season.” He also thanked the wider Westbrook community for its continued support of the music program.

Smith said the marching band staff “truly believes a quality music education is a huge part of a well rounded education that prepares students for successful academic, social and family lives. Music is part of who we are, and without music education we can’t reach our full potential.”

David Graichen, president of the Maine Band Directors Association, said all the “students have been working hard all season and I think their hard work was evident in the performances given.”

He said marching band is about more than just the music.

“It’s also a great way to incorporate (other) disciplines by adding the color guard and movement to what we do. The visual representation can be just as powerful as the music and sometimes takes the audience enjoyment to a whole new level and appreciation,” he said.

Graichen, who is the band director at Marshwood High School, also said the activity allows students from other schools to interact and support each other.

“The students love to meet and see students from other groups,” he said. “Many times we just do the concerts at our (own) schools and don’t get to see what other schools are doing. Having these performances allows students to see a world of music outside of what is presented to them at their own schools.”

Westbrook High School junior Savannah Fields performs with the marching band color guard during last Saturday’s Maine High School Marching Band finals. Westbrook brought home top honors.