ABC-7 Community Champions: Mayfield Band Earns Top Honors At State Competition

The Mayfield High School Trojan Marching Band won top honors at a state championship, earning it the El Paso Electric and KVIA title of Community Champions.

This year, the Mayfield Trojan marching band was the grand champions at the UNM Zia Marching Fiesta, which crowns the top high school marching band in the state.

Performances are typically centered on more lighthearted topics, but the this year the band decided to do a piece called “Veil,” about oppression in the Middle East.

“We did talk about what is going on in the news and in different parts of the world as far as as what people are thinking,” Band Director Neil Swapp said. “We are asking people to take a look at this, not really taking a stand whether it’s right or wrong. Really, just to look at it. You try to target every single aspect of an audience. For a show to do well, it’s got to be very multidimensional.”

After performing in the ZIA competition, the band moved on to compete in the Band of America regionals Saturday in Utah.

The marching band performed for just a few minutes, but it reflected on months of hard work and determination, Swapp said.

Competing with local schools is nothing compared with playing against some of the best schools in the region, he said.

“It’s something that we feel that we’re ready for. … That no matter what happens — what place we get — that we tried our hardest. We left it on the field and that’s where it stands,” Mayfield drum major Richard Chavez said.

Even though they didn’t win the regional championships, Swapp said the trophy isn’t the most important thing the kids bring home.

“I think music is one of the most important things any parent can do for their kid or any child can do for themselves, because it really teaches everything that we are trying to do in public schools. Responsibility, determination, goal-setting, working with their peers. It’s really just the best way for kids to adapt to the world,” Swapp said.

When asked how it felt for the band to be chosen as a Community Champions, Chavez said, “We feel fantastic about it. It’s something that will get the arts out there more. It seems like the music programs don’t have a lot of sponsorship in our area so I think this is something big for our music program.”

This weekend, the band will be in the tournament of bands in Las Cruces at Aggie Memorial Stadium.

To purchase tickets from Ticketmaster, click here.