Catawba Ridge High School Wins Gold in Both Winds and Percussion at World Championship

Catawba Ridge High School’s band had an outstanding performance at the Winter Guard International Percussion and Winds World Championship, winning gold medals in both the Winds and Percussion divisions. The championships took place from April 18-21 at various universities around the world, with units from around the globe competing in scholastic and independent divisions, divided into classes A, Open, and World.

Catawba Ridge competed in two categories: Percussion Scholastic Concert World and Winds Scholastic Open. The school’s indoor winds group, in only their second year in the division, placed third in prelims with a high music score. However, they made a remarkable comeback in the finals on Sunday, clinching first place with an impressive score of 91.625 to secure the gold medal in the Winds Scholastic Open category.

The school’s indoor percussion ensemble also had a standout performance, winning first place in their prelims and securing high music and artistry awards in the Concert World class. In the finals, they once again took first place and earned gold with a score of 95.350. This victory marked their first world championship title since finishing third in 2022 and second in 2023.

Notably, Catawba Ridge High School’s bands are only the second group from South Carolina to win a World Class World Championship in percussion since Fort Mill High School achieved this feat back in 2003 and 2005. Their impressive achievements at the championship highlight their dedication, talent, and hard work.