In the year 2013, I experienced my first major marching band competition at Idaho State University’s Holt Arena. Many bands performed and did a splendid job, but the marching band from West Lake High School sparked my interest and helped create a passion that I would continue to follow throughout my four years in high school. As the mass of band members entered the field with their assortment of instruments and wild west props, the suspense in the crowded stadium grew. The process of setting up the props and the front ensemble with its arsenal of keyboards added to the excitement in the air. When the band was in place, the drum majors climbed their podiums and the audience fell silent. The stillness was broken when a small group of brass players
Sweat dripping down my face and butterflies fluttering around my stomach as if it was the Garden of Eden, I took in a deep breathe and asked myself: "Why am I so nervous? After all, it is just the most exciting day of my life." When the judges announced for the Parsippany Hills High School Marching Band to commence its show, my mind blanked out and I was on the verge of losing sanity. Giant's Stadium engulfed me, and as I pointed my instrument up to the judges' stand, I gathered my thoughts and placed my mouth into the ice-cold mouthpiece of the contrabass. "Ready or not," I beamed, "here comes the best show you will ever behold." There is no word to describe the feeling I obtain through music. However, there is no word to describe the pain I suffer through in order to be the best in the band either. When I switched my instrument to tuba from flute in seventh grade, little did I know the difference it would make in the four years of high school I was soon to experience. I joined marching band in ninth grade as my ongoing love for music waxed. When my instructor placed the 30 lb. sousaphone on my shoulder on the first day, I lost my balance and would have fallen had my friends not made the effort to catch me. During practices, I always attempted to ease the discomfort as the sousaphone cut through my collar bone, but eventually my shoulder started to agonize and bleed under the pressure. My endurance and my effort to play the best show without complaining about the weight paid off when I received the award for "Rookie of the Year." For the next three seasons of band practice, the ache and toil continued. Whenever the band had practice, followed by a football game and then a competition, my brain would blur from fatigue and my body would scream in agony. Nevertheless, I pointed my toes high in the air as I marched on, passionate about the activity. As a result, my band instructor saw my drive toward music and I was named Quartermaster for my junior year, being trusted with organizing, distributing, and collecting uniforms for all seventy-five members of the band. The responsibility was tremendous. It took a bulk of my time, but the sentiment of knowing that I was an important part of band made it all worthwhile.
The history of the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble will be reflected through a timeline of events, including an analysis of significant events, groups, composers, and advancements. When society envisions a Wind Ensemble, talented musicians, grand music halls, and difficult arrangements typically come to mind. However, a modern-day Wind Ensemble includes a variety of musicians, each with positive and negative aspects. In society today, music is greatly appreciated and accepted. It is considered an honor and a privilege to expose our ears to the music.
To restate, marching pompously within The Pride of the Devils band for the first time was an immortal moment that still lives fresh within the many young minds of the Greeneville High School Marching Band. Doubtlessly, the snappy yet fluid motions of fluently glide stepping over the looming fifty yard line is etched into memory. Moreover, the straight spines and served as a solid spur that is as high held as the chins of the band members. It is without uncertainty that the succinct, precise heartbeat of the band was the consistent rhythm of the Drum Captain’s invariable marching tempo. This perpetual rhythm was tapped out on a snare drum and ensured the comprehensive accuracy of the firm, sure footfalls of the band members. Arguably, the supremacy of the marching band is shown within the straight, unyielding lines and the control of movement on the illuminated field. Because of this precise marching, the band displayed a strikingly uniform and professional demeanor that was as intimidating as it was a testament to their supremacy. The precise skill in marching possessed the influence to convince any teenager in the exalting student section to don a hunter green band uniform without
My older sister loved the marching band, so I always got dragged to their performances. I could not tell what was so appealing about it all; it consisted of walking on a field while playing instruments and flags being swung in the air. Participating in a marching band was never what I intended nor wanted to do. The idea bored me, but my mom insisted.
Moore, J.E. (1968). The national school band contests from 1926 to 1931. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Michigan, 1968). Retrieved March 1, 2007, from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text database. (Publication No. AAT 3250254).
When someone asks me what marching band means to me, it’s very difficult to come up with a simple answer that everyone can understand. Marching band means belonging to something bigger and more worthwhile than just a “team”; It means having a stake in something that is a treasured part of both our school and our community. Even if it means going to bed feeling every muscle in my body ache and knowing I may wake up feeling worse, I always look forward to doing it all again the next day (and the next year). Marching band is a challenge that pushes the limits of my physical and emotional endurance in such a way that I can’t wait to come back for more because I know I will be a better person for it.
Where I learned how to become a leader through the leadership ensemble within the marching band. Where in my senior and fourth year of marching competitively, I became the Drum Major, and earned the Best Drum Major Award at the Roxbury Marching Band Classic Competition. From marching band I progressed into jazz music, where I became the lead alto saxophonist in the top jazz band at my school during my junior and senior year. I was also one of three saxophonists in the top band at my school. I picked up the clarinet, the flute, and the soprano saxophone on my way through high school, and have played all three as well in my performing ensembles. I played in the pit orchestra of the theater production of “All Shook Up”, and was the principal saxophonist at my high school. Too be short, I am very involved in all things music in the past and currently. Band and music have been a place for me to rely on, something that brings me joy when sad. Allows me to express myself through sounds and through instruments. It is truly a talent and a hobby that I hope to continue through college and through life because of the joy it brought me and creative outlet it was throughout my
Marching band is a very broad field to participate in. High school and college band both have specific criteria they have to meet during marching season. But what are the differences and likenesses between high school and college band? In high school band, there is one show to perform and there are many long, grueling hours spent perfecting and fine tuning it. The show is not only for halftime spectating at football games, but also band festival and regional contests. High school band has a more stern outlook because the entire season is spent working for placement, whether it be superior or not. Some bands have a more difficult time working considering obstacles such as size. Bands can range anywhere from only thirty to two hundred. With upperclassmen
As the leaves turn to brilliant colors of orange and yellow and begin their descent to the Earth, the area around the football stadium is filled with the resonate sound of horns and drums. Every afternoon and Saturday, the Goshen High School marching band gathers to fine tune its skills for upcoming games and competitions. To those of us outside of the band culture, the grueling labor and long hours seem excessive, but, to many of the band members, nothing exists that is of higher importance.
It is impossible to fully comprehend the appeal to the Gulf Coast High School Band Room unless you are actually a member of the band. All members of the Gulf Coast High School marching band spend the majority of their time in the band room, which is like a second home for most. The room itself does not appear to be anything special. It is a large room with a high ceiling, bright fluorescent lighting, and pink and green padding on the walls. The hallway maintains a terrible odor which nobody can quite determine the source of, and the white, vinyl tile floor is covered in a layer of disgusting things one can only dream of. Still, for some reason it remains a haven to about twelve percent of the student body. At first glance, it does not look like anything special, but when you open that big, gray door and step into the “band world” it becomes clear that it really is an amazing and wonderful place. It feels like the center of the universe.
Over this semester, I attended two concerts. The first concert I went to was a performance done by the Swedish band Graveyard at the 9:30 club in DC. The second concert that I went to was at the George Mason Center for Performing Arts. This concert was a jazz competition between bands call The Battle of the Big Bands. Both concerts were performed very well and kept the audience, myself included, very entertained throughout the entire show. In this paper, I will be discussing each individual show in depth, and then continuing on to compare the two concerts.
X.P.T.L: Virtual Reality Marching Band. It’s Friday, about three thirty and you have this feeling in your stomach like you’re excited and scared all at the same time because class is ending and now the real fun begins and you know that tonight is the night where you shine. That’s what marching band is. That feeling that you get when you’re about to perform, the lights in your eyes. When you line up and everyone is looking at you and you’ve been practicing for weeks so you know you’ll do well but for some reason, you’re still nervous. You spend all this time practicing and sweating with bruises on your arms and sometimes you forget why you do it. So why do you? You spend all this time working so hard and you’re off the field in a matter of minutes.
I felt so embarrassed I could’ve died. I was called out by my eighth grade Earth Science teacher during the middle of class. I didn’t even know the answer. Mr. Stevens had done this on purpose. My face turned as red as a tomato and my eyes watered for what seemed like forever after receiving unwanted attention. I absolutely detested it. Things like this happened all the time starting in when I was about fourteen years old. I couldn’t tell you why. When I started my last year of middle school it became natural to me. I became the human embodiment of Anxiety.
We have begun contacting amateur bands from the area that are willing to compete in a “Battle of the Bands”. Since the bands are made up of University students, we predict that they will attract a large audience comprised of their friends and classmates. This event will be held on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania making it easiest for students to attend.
A jolt of energy rushed through my body and hit my heart when they call me up to get the team trophy. Not fourth, third, or second, but first place for the third year in a row. Being a captain of a team is an amazing experience. You get to see your team physically, mentally, and emotionally prepare for competition. It's a lot of hard work, but if you try your hardest, make all the practices and have a passion for cheerleading its worth it. Every year we take a few weeks to build a competition routine, the out come is incredible, but the celebration is the best part.