Rising Starr Middle Symphonic Band director Steve Tyndall, along with 72 of the RSM Symphonic Band’s musicians, recently learned just how it feels to go down in the history books when they became one of the first two middle school bands selected to perform at the Bands of America (BOA) National Concert Band Festival March 15-17 in Indianapolis.

The seventh and eighth grade students who make up the Symphonic Band are not your ordinary band students.

Only five middle school bands with excellent reputations across the nation were invited by Band of America to vie for the honor of being the first middle school band to perform at the festival. Historically, Bands of America has only invited high school bands to perform, but last May, festival organizers decided to include a middle school band in its 2007 program for the first time. After a lengthy judging process, the Rising Starr Symphonic Band and Bailey Middle School Band from Austin, Texas were selected.

Performing at the National Concert Band Festival adds yet another honor to the growing list the Rising Starr band has received. They have performed for the University of Georgia Middle School Festival (1999), the University of Southern Mississippi Instrumental Conductor's Conference (2001), the Troy State University Southeastern United States Middle School Concert Band Clinic (2002), the Georgia Music Educators’ Association Annual In-Service Conference (2003), the 57th Annual Midwest Clinic in Chicago, Illinois (2003) and the Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, Washington (2005).

Tyndall says it is the hard work of all students over the years that have cultivated the band’s excellent reputation and ultimately earning it a spot in history at the BOA Festival.

This year is Tyndall's tenth year at Rising Starr and his 22 year teaching in Georgia public schools. He received his bachelor of science in education degree from Jacksonville State University and a master of music education degree from West Georgia College.

Tyndall is a member of Music Educators National Conference, Georgia Music Educators' Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Phi Beta Mu and the National Band Association, and has received the National Band Association Citation of Excellence six times. Tyndall makes his home in Peachtree City, Ga., with his wife of 23 years, LuAnn, and their daughters, Emily,18, a freshman at Columbus State University's Schwob School of Music and Erin, 15, a sophomore at Starr's Mill High School.

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