The green, rich turf adorns the field underneath a cloudy, soothing sky. The jet black shoes worn by 80 students taking their positions glide over the blades of grass. Forming a perfectly symmetrical circle directly centerfield, the band’s members hold a position of attention, awaiting the orders of their drum majors. The crowd silent, a percussion pattern mimicking the sound of a clock sets the band in motion to begin their performance.
On October 31st, the Jesuit-Ursuline Ranger Band placed third in their division at Legacy Christian Academy, allowing them to compete in the annual TPSMEA Marching Band Competition in Frisco, TX. Because this competition was the last of the year, the group’s transition into concert season has begun.
Their show, dedicated to showcasing the works of Alan Sylvestri’s score for the famous Back To The Future trilogy, was awarded a “superior rating,” an honor taken home by only five bands that competed out of 16 in total. The band’s 544 points were enough to award them third place at the competition. Even though the placement appeared to be a cause for disappointment, Drum Major John Galindo ’16 thought the experience as a whole was “very exciting. I think that is the most points we have ever put up. It goes to show how a lot of the other bands at the [competition] have been growing right along with us.”
Mr. Zane Crownover, one of the band directors, feels “proud of all the hard work and the exemplary product that we created throughout the season… Everybody really stepped up to the plate this year and brought their best game.” Going forward, Galindo sees room for improvement in the grade levels he leaves behind. He explained, “The areas of improvement are pretty simple. A lot of the underclassmen just need to find their rhythm. No pun intended, but as they get more and more comfortable with the system, I think a lot of the improvement will be natural.” Similarly, Mr. Donovan Putnam believes that “music is a process, not a destination.” He elaborated, “From year-to-year, we’re always striving for excellence and we’re always working on a lot of the same fundamentals, but striving to make them better from year-to-year.”
Their last competition of the season, the band now sets their sights upon the latter half of the semester, a portion of the school year dedicated to Christmas music exclusively. Putnam explained that “The biggest difference is that concert band is an indoor activity and we play a varied style of music from popular music to jazz to percussion ensembles to wind band stuff… It’s not your traditional marches, it’s a lot of different fun stuff.” Forgoing marching and Friday night performances, the band’s arsenal of melodies drastically expands.
President of the band, Aidan Leahy ’16 explained that “Without having to march, the band is able to use more elaborate, delicate and expensive instruments that, in turn, allow us to play more intricate and difficult pieces of music that we perform later in the year in free concerts (hence the name “concert band”), which anyone is welcome to attend.” Revolving around the theme of Christmas, the band’s music “really showcases musical variety,” said Galindo. He added, “For example, we have been rehearsing with a big band Christmas piece, which is different [from] your average holiday tune.”
In addition to the concert band season, the band continues to be a spirit organization through a new pep band venture, headed up by Leahy. He explained, “We’ve just formed an official pep band this year and are excited to go to the occasional game if the players and coaches would like us, anything from hockey to lacrosse. We think it’ll be an awesome way to more incorporate the band into Jesuit life and bring some more energy to the crowds. So if anyone wants to request a pep band at a certain game, just email me at [email protected].”
Indeed, the road towards the end of the school year, now marked by classic Christmas songs, signals a special time for the band and school alike. When asked about upcoming challenges or expectations for the season, Putnam said that he “think[s] what I like about band [in general] is that every day is different. It’s that we’re always working on something different and there’s always different challenges and I think that’s why we became [music teachers]… We both like the challenge.” The challenges that lie ahead for the band signal a restoration and a fostering of an infectious Christmas spirit that runs rampant throughout the school every year. The band performs at Jesuit on December 10th at 7:00 PM in the Terry Center and again at Ursuline on December 13th.
