HISTORY

The Barron Collier High School Cougar Band, currently under the direction of Mr. Brett Robinson, has had the honor of representing our community, state, and nation since BCHS opened in 1978. It serves as one of the largest music programs in the State of Florida and the most recognized band program in Naples, a community which continuously stimulates its students intellectually and exposes them to greatness in the educational, musical, and social arenas. This superior-rated band program stands with a rich and vivacious history. The mission of our band program is to meet the academic and artistic needs of all students, continually motivating and encouraging them to achieve the highest standards by creating a climate of excellence that will empower them to lead productive and fulfilling lives as lifelong learners and responsible citizens.

The band has performed at the invitation of the governments of the People's Republic of China, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Germany, Austria, France, the Netherlands, and throughout United States. Performances include: opening the pre-Olympics Music Festival 2007 in Beijing, in concert with University of Xi'an (China), the National Royal Easter Shows in Sydney, Edinburgh, and London, the Paris New Year's Day Parade, the Spring Music Festivals in Vienna and Munich, the International Jazz Festival in Maastrecht (Holland), the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade and the U.S. Navy Memorial "Blessing of the Fleets" (Washington, D.C.), the Kentucky Derby Parade, and the National Martin Luther King Celebration Parades in Atlanta, Miami, and St. Petersburg, plus Disney World/Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Universal Studios-Orlando, Kennedy Space Center, Dunedin, Ft. Lauderdale Highland Games, the Florida Governor's Inaugural Parade, and most recently the Hollywood Christmas Parade, Disneyland and the Chick Fil-A Peach Bowl.
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The BCHS Cougar Band has also performed by invitation for Vice-Presidents Dick Cheney and Al Gore, the Lord Mayors of London and Westminster (England), U.S. Senators Bob Graham and Mel Martinez, U.S. Rep.Connie Mack, Florida Governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist, and Vice Presidential candidate and former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, First Lady Barbara Bush, and late CBS news anchor Walter Cronkite. The BCHS Cougar Band enjoys serving the citizens of Southwest Florida, honoring our civic traditions, culture, veteran's active military, and emergency service personnel.

The BCHS Cougar Band has consistently earned superior ratings at district and state levels for outstanding musical performances. The band has received the FBA Otto J. Kraushaar Award for straight Superior ratings throughout an entire school year in 2024, 2014 and 2013.

BCHS Band 1980

BCHS Band 1981

BCHS Band 1983

FBA Ratings

All information may be verified at http://flmusiced.org/fba

Year	Event	Rating	Director
2023-2024	Otto J. Kraushaar Award Recipient FBA State Concert Band (Symphonic Band) FBA District 22 Concert Band MPA (Symphonic Band) FBA District 22 Marching Band MPA (B.C. Blue!) FBA All-State Musicians Daoyi Liu – Flute Greg Gibson – Bass (Jazz Band) Fintan O’Keefe - Trombone FMBC State Marching Band Finals Class 1A FMBC State Finalist 2nd Place - FMBC Class 1A State Runner-Up Palmetto Ridge Marching Band Invitational - FMBC Grand Champion Overall Best Music, Visual, GE, and Auxiliary  1st Place Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual, Percussion and Auxiliary Lakewood Ranch HS FMBC Regional 3rd Place Overall 1st Place Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual, Percussion and Auxiliary Naples HS FMBC Regional 1st Place Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual, Percussion and Auxiliary	Superior Superior Superior Superior	Brett Robinson
2022-2023	FBA State Concert Band (Symphonic Band) FBA District 22 Concert Band (Symphonic Band) FBA District 22 Concert Band (Concert Band) FBA District 22 Jazz Band FBA District 22 Marching Band (B.C. Blue!) FBA District 22 Marching Band (Cougar Band) FBA All-State Musicians Daoyi Liu – Flute Shelby Kahn – Clarinet  FMBC State Marching Band Finals Class 1A FMBC State Finalist 2nd Place - FMBC Class 1A State Runner-Up Palmetto Ridge Marching Band Invitational - FMBC Grand Champion Overall Best Music, Visual, GE, and Auxiliary  1st Place Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual, Percussion and Auxiliary Lakewood Ranch HS FMBC Regional 4th Place Overall 1st Place Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual, Percussion and Auxiliary Naples HS FMBC Regional 1st Place Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual, Percussion and Auxiliary	Superior Superior Excellent Superior Superior Superior	Brett Robinson
2021-2022	FBA State Concert Band MPA (Symphonic Band) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Symphonic Band) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Concert Band) FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA FBA All-State Musicians Daoyi Liu – Flute Chris Sochor – Piano Trey Leslie - Percussion FMBC State Marching Band Finals Class 1A FMBC State Finalist 6th Place in FMBC Class 1A Palmetto Ridge Marching Band Invitational - FMBC 1st Place Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual, Percussion and Auxiliary Lehigh Lightning Tournament of Bands - FMBC 1st Place Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual and Auxiliary Riverview “The March” FMBC Regional 2nd Place in Class 1A Best in Auxiliary	Superior Superior Excellent Superior	Brett Robinson
2020-2021	FBA All-State Musicians Daoyi Liu – Flute Lucas Bradshaw – Percussion Shelby Kahn – Clarinet Rachel Newman - Flute		Brett Robinson
2019-2020	FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Symphonic Band) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA FBA All-State Musicians Lucas Bradshaw – Percussion James Popper – Trumpet  FMBC State Marching Band Finals Class 1A FMBC State Finalist 3rd Place in FMBC Class 1A FMBC State Marching Band Semi-Finals Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music  Palmetto Ridge Marching Band Invitational- FMBC Grand Champion Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual, Percussion and Auxiliary Lehigh Lightning Tournament of Bands - FMBC 1st Place in Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual, Percussion and Auxiliary Mariner Triton Invitational - FMBC 1st Place in Class 1A Best in Class 1A Music, GE, Visual, and Auxiliary 2nd Place Overall	Superior Superior Superior  Superior	Brett Robinson
­­­2018-2019	FBA State Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Symphonic Band) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA FBA All-State Musicians Lucas Bradshaw – Percussion Connor Willits – Percussion	Superior Superior Superior Superior Superior	Brett Robinson
2017-2018	FBA State Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Symphonic Band) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA FBA All-State Musicians James Popper – Trumpet  Malena Sellen – Oboe Sam Zeitler – French Horn	Superior Superior Superior Superior Superior	Brett Robinson
2016-2017	FBA State Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA State Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Symphonic Band) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA FBA All-State Musicians James Popper – Trumpet Connor Willits – Percussion	Excellent Superior Superior Excellent Superior Superior	Brett Robinson
2015-2016	FBA State Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Symphonic Band) FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA  FBA All-State Musicians Malena Sellen - Oboe	Excellent Superior Excellent Superior	Brett Robinson
2014-2015	FBA State Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA State Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA  FBA All-State Musicians Omar Bisher – Clarinet	Superior Excellent Superior Superior Superior	Brett Robinson
2013-2014	Otto J. Kraushaar Award Recipient FBA State Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA State Jazz Band MPA (Jazz Orchestra II) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA (Jazz Orchestra I) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA (Jazz Orchestra II) FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA	Superior Superior Superior Superior Superior Superior	Benny Bolden
2012-2013	Otto J. Kraushaar Award Recipient FBA State Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA State Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Symphonic Band) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA	Superior Superior Superior Excellent Superior Superior	Benny Bolden
2011-2012	FBA State Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA	Superior Superior Excellent Superior	Benny Bolden
2010-2011	FBA State Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA State Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Symphony) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA District 18 Marching Band	Excellent Superior Superior Superior Superior	Benny Bolden
2009-2010	FBA State Jazz Band FBA District 18 Concert Band (Wind Ensemble) FBA District 18 Jazz Band FBA District 18 Marching Band	Superior Excellent Superior Superior	Kelly Parker
2008-2009	FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Ensemble) FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA	Excellent Excellent	Kelly Parker
2007-2008	FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Wind Ensemble) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA	Superior Excellent Excellent	Kelly Parker
2006-2007	FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Concert Band I) FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Concert Band II) FBA District 18 Jazz Band MPA FBA District 18 Marching Band MPA	Excellent Good Superior Excellent	Kelly Parker, Chris Mustell Chris Mustell, Kelly Parker Chris Mustell, Kelly Parker Kelly Parker, Chris Mustell
2005-2006	FBA District 18 Concert Band MPA (Concert Band I) District 18 Concert Band MPA (Concert Band II) District 18 Jazz Band MPA District 18 Marching Band MPA	Excellent Excellent Good CO	Kelly Parker Chris Mustell Kelly Parker, Chris Mustell Kelly Parker