Most students are upset that summer has come to a close, but if you’re a band student, you have to prepare to come back to school almost a month before everyone else. That’s right; summer band started on July 26 this year, and they wasted no time getting to work.
During a typical week of band camp, the band rehearses on the weekdays from 8-11 a.m., 1-4 p.m., and 6-8 p.m. The two-hour breaks for lunch and dinner give the band kids a time to socialize and recharge for the next block. It even allows the incoming freshmen to meet upperclassmen and explore the school.
Some people may wonder why it takes so much practice to learn an eight-minute marching show. Surprisingly, there’s a lot more that goes into it than you may think. Getting over 200 people to memorize five parts of a show, march with their feet in time, and remembering the counts for all 80 sets is a lot harder than it looks. There’s also choreography that has to be learned, watching the drum major to keep time, and things that may seem so simple but in reality, take a lot of effort, like holding your horn at the correct angle and having the right leg shape when you take a step.
Even with all of these things in mind, the Timber Creek Band has been making a lot of progress just in the past month. The band is way ahead of where they were this time last year. At the first football game of the season, the varsity marching band debuted parts 1-2 of their 2017 competition show of which the name has not yet been released.
“The show sounds really cool this year!” flute section leader Allison Obregon said. “It seems kind of mysterious, and I think that it’s going to be a ton of fun for the viewers and the performers.”
On Sept. 8, the JV and varsity band will debut the Spirit Show which features the tunes TC Fanfare, Timber, the Hey Song and the Fight Song.
You may think that the extent of the band’s performances ends at the football games, but that is far from the truth. This year, the band will compete at several marching competitions, including Bands of America (BOA) at Conroe on Oct. 1, BOA Dallas on Oct. 8, and U.S. Bands Midlothian on Nov. 5. This year is also very special for the band because they have an opportunity to advance to State.
“One goal for the band this year is for us to grow as musicians,” Woodwind Captain Noah Pujol said. “Another is to be the best we can be at all times and constantly improve. And then the big one–making State.”
The State marching contest happens only every other year and is a huge deal in the band world. Before the band can compete in the State marching contest on Nov. 8, they must score high enough to advance past the Region and Area contests which are held earlier in the season.
There’s no doubt that the band puts in a lot of hard work during football season, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for fun. Band members spend a lot of time getting to know each other during the long hours they spend rehearsing, and being able to accomplish a goal together brings a very rewarding feeling to the whole organization. It is like one giant family; they would do anything for each other if it helps getting them closer to achieving their long sought goals.
“I’m most excited for the contests because I get to spend a day with my favorite people doing what I love,” said Pujol.