More than 130 eighth-graders from three Fort Mill middle schools performed alongside the Fort Mill High School Band at Bob Jones Stadium on Sept. 27.
Students from Gold Hill Middle, Pleasant Knoll Middle and Banks Trail Middle played with the high schoolers, then watched the band's annual Community Preview of its 2026 marching show, "In My Beginning," YoCo News reported. The show draws on T.S. Eliot's poem "East Coker" and features music by Max Richter and Gustav Mahler.
More than 200 students perform in the Fort Mill HS Band, directed by Ren Patel. Landon Vaca and Dylan Sims are on the band staff.
The band opens its competitive season Saturday, Oct. 3, at Carolina Crown's BandBEAT Championship, hosted by Catawba Ridge High School. All three Fort Mill School District bands will compete at that event, according to the Fort Mill Sun.
After fall break, Fort Mill will travel to Tennessee for two Bands of America Regional competitions: East Tennessee State University on Oct. 17 and Tennessee Tech University on Oct. 31. The season ends at the SC 6A State Championships at SC State University on Nov. 7.
