Junior Phillip Gerarve and other members of the Blue Jay Band’s trumpet section blast their way through the 2014 District VI Marching Festival at Joe Yenni Stadium.

The Blue Jay Marching Band earned a rating of “superior” at the 2014 District VI Marching Band Assessment Festival. The event took place on a chilly Monday evening, Nov. 3, at Joe Yenni Stadium in Metairie.

The band is under the direction of Mr. Joe Caluda ’79 and assistant director Mr. Jason Giaccone,

“This year’s program built upon the difficulty of the show we performed in 2013,” said Caluda, adding that Monday’s performance was a culmination of tireless work that began in the summer. “All of us are extremely pleased with the way our band and the Jayettes answered that challenge.”

The District VI Festival performance titled “Rhapsody in Blue and White” included three selections: George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Rhapsody On a Theme of Pagannini by Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

New for 2014 were uniforms accentuated by blue and white lights.

The band earned “superior” ratings in the following categories: Overall Band, Drum Major (senior Patrick Fine), and Auxiliary (Jayettes). A single judge gave the Jesuit percussion section a mark of “excellent.” Judges were from Vandebilt, Catholic, E.D. White, Dutchtown, Belle Chasse Academy, St. Thomas More, and Southeastern University.

A total of 16 bands competed in the District VI competition.