Photo by Brittany Nielsen

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The Holy Spirit Preparatory School wind symphony impressed the audience at this year’s Festival of Gold on March 31, earning straight gold ratings from a panel of adjudicators with scores 95 and higher. 

“I’m super proud of our students,” said Leonard Insalaca, the school’s director of fine arts. “They’ve come so far in such a short period of time.”  

Composed of upper school students from the Atlanta campus, the ensemble performed at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, and delivered a powerful program showcasing their talents.  

Their festival repertoire included “Fairest of the Fair” by John Philip Sousa, “Ave Maria” by Franz Schubert and the world premiere of “Jubilate” by acclaimed conductor and composer Dr. Jack Stamp.  

Stamp, who composed “Jubilate” specifically for the HSP wind symphony, worked directly with the students in preparation for the performance. For three days, and nearly a week before the festival, Stamp provided guidance to the young artists. His mentorship helped prepare the ensemble for their debut of the new work, Insalaca said.  

“It was a great experience for the kids,” Insalaca said. “Spending rehearsals with him really helped them prepare for the festival. They had a great time with him.”  

Festival of Gold is an invitation-only music event in which top-performing school music programs perform pieces for a panel of three judges. Schools are graded on interpretation, technique, tone, balance, intonation, general effect and musical choices. A maximum score is 100.  

“The students were over the moon to hear they scored a 95,” shared Insalaca. “They put in so much work, so it was very rewarding. Even though it’s more about making music, that score tells us we’re moving in the right direction.”  

Though the band program started five years ago, it has grown rapidly in size and national recognition. Last year, the wind symphony played at Carnegie Hall in New York. 

The ensemble’s gold rating affirmed their place as a top-performing musical program.  

“If someone is looking for instrumental music in a Catholic education, Holy Spirit Preparatory is the place to come,” said Insalaca. “We want to keep growing and performing on amazing stages.”