Rio Band has had a busy and amazing month. Congratulations to all the winners. The hard work and early mornings pay off!
Swing Central – Savannah Music Festival
One hundred bands from across the United States submitted audition recordings for the prestigious Swing Central competition which is part of the Savannah Music Festival. Twelve bands were selected to compete in Savannah andRio Americano AM Jazz Ensemble showed up with the jazz and placed third! Here’s one of their Swing Central performances – AM playing Night and Day! Swing Central Jazz, #SCJ2018 https://youtu.be/F-UT6EmeF7c
Mingus
A Rio combo was again selected as one of three in the nation to compete in the annual Mingus Festival in NYC. This year’s group was award the Mingus Spirit Award for the group that most embodied the spirit and energy of Charles 
Mingus and his music.
41st Annual Downbeat Student Music Awards
Another Rio Combo TRio was awarded the 2018 Downbeat Award as best High School Small Combo in the United States.
Out of the Blue is Oxford’s premier all-male a cappella group, and the top a cappella group in the UK by number of championships. You may have seen them from their viral video hits, which have received over 15 million views on YouTube! Comprising students from Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University, Out of the Blue has performed on the West End and on Broadway, reached the semifinals of Britain’s Got Talent, and toured around the world to places including Switzerland, Canada, India, Hong Kong, and Japan.
The will be performing at the Rio Performing Arts Center on March 19, 2018. Tickets are available for $10.
Take a peak at their 2017 Charity Video
TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR – ON LINE SALES ARE CLOSED
Our 37th Playathon was a huge success and great way to showcase our students in the beautiful new Performing Arts Center. Fantastic music, good community vibes, and above-projected fundraising all contributed to a wonderful event. Thank you to our student and parent chairs, EVERY student and parent who had a hand in this tremendous undertaking. And, to the community members who past and present have been a part of the Rio Americano Band Program! The cooperation and dedication of our band community is what truly sets us apart. Over $32,000 was raised for the band program, thanks to the generous donations of our families and the community. Here is a sample of coverage on KCRA3.