North America’s most prestigious award for community concert bands, the Sudler Silver Scroll Award, has been awarded to the Cobb Wind Symphony (CWS) of Marietta, Georgia.  The purpose of this award is to identify, recognize and honor those community bands that have demonstrated particularly high standards of excellence in concert activities over a period of several years, and which have played a significant and leading role in the cultural and musical environment in their respective communities. The Sudler Award is sponsored by the John Philip Sousa Foundation, which seeks to uphold the standards and ideals of the American icon, John Philip Sousa.

 

The Cobb Wind Symphony, an all-adult community concert band of Marietta, Georgia, was selected from a long list of community bands making application from throughout the world.  In this highly competitive selection process, past Silver Scroll laureate conductors, who have experienced a number of successful years as band conductors, formed the selection committee.  Nominated bands are required to present audiotapes of past performances, newspaper clippings of past events, and letters of recommendation from both noted wind band conductors and community leaders documenting the band’s contribution to the community.  The current conductor of the group must be in place for five years.

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The Cobb Wind Symphony, founded in 1999, is under the direction of Alfred L. Watkins and Robert J. Cowles.