Sweet Onion Honor Band Welcomes Over 275 Musicians
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The 6th Annual Sweet Onion Honor Band brought over 275 of the area’s most talented musicians to Vidalia, as the students spent several hours working with guest conductors before performing during a showcase on Saturday, May 2.
On Friday, May 1, a total of 283 students, who were selected from submitted audition videos, from 32 schools came to Vidalia High School, were divided into groups based on their grade levels, and began working with their group and a guest conductor to master several songs to perform for showcase.
Bonaire Middle School Band Director Leah Williams served as the conductor of the 7th and 8th Grade Sweet Onion Honor Band. Williams has led the Bonaire Middle School Band since 2005, and served as the School Assistant Band Director from 2002 until 2005. She earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Mercer University in 1998, her Master of Music in Saxophone Performance degree from the University of Georgia in 2002, and her Specialist in Music Education degree from Auburn University in 2006.
Williams is a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association, Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, and National Band Association. She serves as a head adjudicator for the Large Group Performance Evaluation (LGPE) events, teaches musicians across the state as an active clinician, and often performs with the Wellston Winds Community Band in Warner Robins.
Under Williams’ conduction, the band played six selections – “Blue Sky Horizon” (composed by Randall D. Standridge), “Clarinets Packing Up Early” (composed by Gary Fagan), “Frogs” (composed by Randall D. Standridge), “Groovee!” (composed by Richard L. Saucedo), “The Tell Tale Heart” (composed by Michael Story), and “Tripwire” (composed by JaRod Hall).
Creekview High School Band Director Stephen McCarthy served as the conductor of the 9th and 10th Grade Sweet Onion Honor Band. Mc-Carthy is a Waycross native and graduate of Ware County High School, who earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Valdosta State University in 1993. While a student at the University, McCarthy was a member of the Valdosta State University Blazin’ Brigade Marching Band and performed with numerous ensembles at the school. After earning his bachelor’s degree, McCarthy received his Masters in Music with Emphasis on Instrumental Conducting degree from Reinhardt University. He spent 5 years as the Morrow High School Band Director, 9 years as the Stockbridge High School Band Director, 2 years as the Strong Rock Christian School Band Director, 3 years as the Social Circle City Schools Band Director, and has led the Creekview High School Band since 2012.
Concert bands under McCarthy’s direction have performed at the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference on three occasions (1995, 2001, 2004), the Grand National Adjudicator’s Invitational on three occasions (2003, 2006, 2013), the University of Georgia January Band Festival on two occasions (2002, 2015), the University of South Carolina Band Clinic (2002), the National Band Association Southern Division Conference (2004), the Southeastern United States Concert Band Clinic (2005), and the Reinhardt University Honor Band Clinic (2014, 2025). His marching bands have been awarded numerous superior ratings, class placement awards, and grand champion marching awards. His bands even performed in the National Orange Bowl Parade in Miami, FL, in 2001 and the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington, DC. in 2019 and 2025.
McCarthy has served as an adjudicator and guest conductor throughout the southeastern United States. He has received the National Band Association Citation of Excellence on six occasions and was listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers on four occasions. Professional affiliations include the Georgia Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, the National Band Association, Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society, and Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity.
McCarthy led the freshmen and sophomore students through four songs – “Portrait of an Old Country Town” (composed by Rob Grice), “Savannah River Rhapsody” (composed by Robert Sheldon), “Shimmering Joy” (composed by Tyler S. Grant), and “Summertime” (arranged by Robert Longfield).
Berry College Assistant Professor of Instrumental Music Education and Director of Wind Studies Alyssa Grey served as the conductor for the 11th and 12th Grade Sweet Onion Honor Band. She completed undergraduate degrees in Music Education and Music Theory & Composition from the University of Miami, where she studied with GRAMMYAward Winning composer Lansing McLoskey. She received a Master's degree in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music and a PhD from the University of North Texas, where she studied wind band conducting with Eugene Migliaro Corporon.
Grey has presented sessions and research with the National Association for Music Education, Society for Music Teacher Education, College Music Society, the Texas Bandmasters Association, the Midwest Clinic, and more. She is an active conductor and scholar and has been published in several scholarly journals.
She led the students, as they performed five pieces for the audience: “Allegro Barbaro” (composed by Bartok Arr. Wallace), “Funeral March” (composed by Edvard Grieg), “Joy continued from page
Revisited” (composed by Frank Ticheli), “Kalos Eidos” (composed by Carol Brittin Chambers), and “Rev” (composed by Randall D. Standridge).
“The event was a tremendous success and was a great collaboration of our community coming together to provide an honor-band experience to the students of southeast Georgia,” Vidalia High School Band Director and Event Coordinator Steven Arnold emphasized. “For a lot of these students, it was their first time performing in an ensemble of that size and instrumentation. The students who attended were joyful to be a part of this experience and learned a lot that they can take back to their own home band programs. The students were already discussing with each other plans to attend the honor band for next year.”
Students attending the Honor Band came from local schools – such as J.R. Trippe Middle School, Vidalia High School, Montgomery County Middle and High Schools, Toombs County Middle and High Schools, and Vidalia Heritage Academy – and from schools throughout the Southeast Region – such as Ben Hill Middle School, East Laurens Middle and High Schools, Jeff Davis Middle School, Johnson County Middle and High Schools, Langston Chapel Middle School, McIntosh County Middle School, Metter Middle and High Schools, North Tattnall Middle School, Portal Middle and High Schools, South Tattnall Middle School, Telfair County Middle and High Schools, West Laurens Middle and High Schools, Claxton High School, Emanuel County Institute, Fitzgerald High School College and Career Academy, Long County High School, Mc-Intosh County Academy, and Tattnall County High School.
Event Coordinators Arnold and Benny T. Ratliff shared their gratitude to Vidalia High School Principal Ellis Strobridge and Assistant Principal Steve Freenor, Vidalia City Schools Superintendent Sandy Reid, the Vidalia City Schools Board of Education, Vidalia SoundTribe Band Boosters, Music and Arts Educational Representative Katey Sands, Brewton-Parker Christian University Music Department, and Toombs County Middle and High School for providing percussion equipment. They also thanked sponsors Trane Technologies, Affinis Hospice, Brewton-Parker Christian University, TurnKey Realty Company, Dermatology Associates, Grace Bridal, Vulcan Materials Company, Chicken of the Sea, Dot Foods, Vidalia Pediatric Clinic, Tots to Teens Medical Center, Sarah and David Thompson, Cash Sales, Ramos Transportation LLC., Community Hospice, Golden Isles Healthcare, T-Byrd’s Slice-N-Ice, Chapman Pharmacy, Ryals Outfitters, Stanley Southern Traditions, Security State Bank, City Drugs, Piggly Wiggly, Brandi and Joshua Norris, Beth’s Florist, and Doos by Mindy.
9TH AND 10TH GRADES – The 9th and 10th Grade Sweet Onion Honor Band was led by Conductor Stephen McCarthy.Photo by Makaylee Randolph
11TH AND 12TH GRADES – Conductor Alyssa Grey leads 11th and 12th graders in a performance during the annual Sweet Onion Honor Band Showcase on Saturday, May 2.Photo by Makaylee Randolph
THANKING CONDUCTORS – Sweet Onion Honor Band Conductors were thanked for their service to the musicians, as Event Coordinators Steven Arnold and Benny T. Ratliff present the conductors with Vidalia Onions and gift baskets. L to R: Steven Arnold, Yumion, Stephen McCarthy, Alyssa Grey, Leah Williams, Benny T. Ratliff.Photo by Makaylee Randolph
