Valence band

the high school marching band. We practiced hard and worked without stopping. I soon realized that Cherokee County has pride in at least one program, their marching band. The building for our band lies beside our football field, the spectacle of the campus. The small band building looks small compared to the large field, but shines just as bright to those who understand its value. It’s brick exterior is painted with the colors of our school and the words “CCHS Marching Band.” Behind the flat…

members of Gatlinburg-Pittman’s band program marked one of the most developmental courses of action I have ever taken. Learning how to march in rhythm with a flock of students of differing grades and ages, discovering the importance of working within strict time constraints, and transporting percussion equipment weighing roughly as much as myself were, among several other memories, trademarks of my freshman and sophomore high school years. Through marching and concert band, I have discovered how…

in my life, however due to certain circumstances, I ended up playing the tuba for the Barlow band. The journey first started my freshman year of high school. I was playing the trumpet at the time. The band was preparing for the upcoming winter concert. The band director, Mr. Nickolas, realized that that band needed more low brass which consisted of tubas and baritones. Mr. Nickolas and the previous band director, Mr. Bolton, called the trumpets into the auditorium. He told us the dilemma that…

As a music education major at the University of Minnesota, it is easy to oversimply my life by saying that music is my passion Its cliché, and it is what nearly every music major says when they enter the school music. When I say “music is my passion,” I mean that throughout my entire life, music has been fundamental in the formation of my identity, and it has visibly steered my life towards the path of music education. I first found a love for music in my elementary school general music classes…

“Midnight Madness,” just before the football team runs out through the lines. The Stevens have already attempted self-help by asking the School to discontinue the band’s practice, but the School has declined on the grounds that the banners are made by the band on their own initiative to reflect their personal views and are not sponsored or directed by the school in any…

This past Saturday I had the great honor of attending the South East Iowa Honor Band (SEIBA) auditions, a prestigious competition where music students from all of southeast Iowa have the opportunity to undergo an intense audition process including, but not limited to, arthritis from excessive preparation, mental breakdowns, glares from judges that could kill you with one look, and sugar overdoses from their wide variety of healthy options available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the…

began practicing for next year’s audition. I even began to practice several pieces of snare music in order to benefit my skills. As a result, I started developing the strength and endurance needed to play an entire marching show. My fellow percussion band mates began to notice the amount of time I had devoted into practicing, and also noticed how my skills improved. When the auditions came round, I felt confident in my abilities, but of course terrified. After my auditions, Mr. Guzman said,…

instrument in mind; this includes: brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments, or instruments that are used while walking. Essentially, the instruments are individually selected and placed in different combinations for performances. Because marching bands are working with several different types of instruments, instrumentation is an important consideration when developing the musical composition. The artistic works of the Marching Chiefs are sophisticated, well-rehearsed and easily noted when…

My sophomore year of high school, I was accepted into the Saber’s Marching Pride Flag corps. At my high school, all freshmen are required to play their instruments because the music is the most important part of the show. Also, it requires the kids to focus on marching basics, drill reading, and learning how to roll step, different from the flag corps where they jazz walk. I have performed with flag corps for the last three years which were named: Groovy Baby, Muevas Sus Huesos, Seven years.…

Few experiences in a high school musician’s career are as rewarding as participating in an honor band. A weekend on a breathtaking college campus advancing one’s musicianship, honor bands not only help a musician blossom but also create lasting memories. Those accepted into an honor band have both talent and dedication. Consequently, auditioning for an honor band is a challenge that requires diligent practice for weeks or even months. To successfully audition, one must have fast and accurate…