Thomas band shoots for fifth straight 'superior' year
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| SNP photo by Dan
Trittschuh Students rehearse Monday, Aug. 4, during band camp at Thomas Worthington High School. |
* Marchers hope a show dedicated to the Windy City pleases contest judges.
By PAMELA WILLIS
Blending music with maneuvers and learning marching
fundamentals are the goals of band camp, which kicked off
this week on a hot Monday morning at Thomas Worthington High
School.
Band camp began at 8 a.m. Aug. 4, with temperatures nearing 90 degrees and students holding imaginary instruments as they marched onto the field in shorts and tank tops.
"We did a portion of the day without the instruments, and the kids won't be in uniform until the first performance," said band director Mike Maynard. "It was hot, but these students are troopers and we have a wonderful staff who is well-trained in all the ways to keep kids healthy.
"We keep the kids in the shade when we can, and inside in musical rehearsals during the hottest parts of the day," he said.
After two weeks of concentrated practice, marching band students will hit the streets Aug. 16 for Tag Day, asking the community for donations to the high school's music program.
"We ask the community for financial support to help us run our band program," Maynard said. "We do Tag Day instead of selling candy bars or doing car washes. We need a certain amount of funds to operate a music program, and I think everyone understands that. We've always had great community support in Worthington."
Maynard said 135 students are attending band camp from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday through Aug. 15.
"Our goals for the camp are to familiarize all the students with marching fundamentals and the music for this year's show," Maynard said. "We have to train the new members of the marching band in the drills and maneuvers and we also welcome and train a whole new batch of student leaders."
This year's show is all about the Windy City.
"Our theme this year is Chicago," Maynard said. "In April, we'll take the entire marching band to Chicago, Ill., and will work with staff members from the University of Chicago. Our show will be a theatrical portrayal of the history of Chicago and a lot of the fun things about the city."
The show will begin with the song That Toddlin' Town, then move into hard rock with Metallica's Fire, Maynard said.
"We'll represent the great Chicago fire and add some theatrics to that, then in the third portion of the show, play Just You and Me, from the band Chicago, which will feature our trombones," he said. "In the last section, we'll play Sweet Home Chicago, which is an old spiritual song in origination, but was made popular through the Blues Brothers movie a few years ago."
Maynard said he and Assistant Band Director Eric Doolittle considered 50 possible songs for this year's show.
"We brainstorm ideas and narrow down the music, and usually start with a list of 50 possible songs," he said. "We want to make sure our theme has an educational approach, with music that will be enjoyable to our student performers, staff, parents, football crowds and the judges of the Ohio Music Education Association."
The band will perform at all 10 varsity football games and compete at the season's first OMEA contest Sept. 6 at Cloverleaf High School.
"We'll also do Market Day in Worthington on Aug. 13 and will travel to Lancaster High School for an OMEA festival," Maynard said.
On Sept. 27, the band will play at Licking Valley High School, then travel to Cedar Point for an overnight trip.
"We'll stay at a hotel that has a water park attached to it and celebrate that point of the season," Maynard said. "Then in October, we'll host our Preview of Champions."
The Preview of Champions features several area high school band performances at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 4.
On Oct. 18, the Thomas Worthington Marching Band will be the featured band at Dennison University and will attend a state qualifying event at TriValley High School in Dresden.
The state marching band finals are Oct. 31.
"This is a big year for the marching band program," Maynard said. "We have had four years of superior ratings at the state finals, and this is our attempt to have five years in a row, which has never been done in the history of our school."
Maynard said he is excited about the new season.
"We have a terrific senior class that has shown great leadership," he said.
The marching band staff also includes Assistant Director Ryan Alexis; James Fantine and Jackie Forman, percussion instruction; Justin Hibbitt, visual assistance; and Danny Dilloff and Janine Joseph, color guard.
"It's always an honor to represent Thomas Worthington during our performances and we appreciate the great support we get from our administration and the whole community," Maynard said.
Band camp began at 8 a.m. Aug. 4, with temperatures nearing 90 degrees and students holding imaginary instruments as they marched onto the field in shorts and tank tops.
"We did a portion of the day without the instruments, and the kids won't be in uniform until the first performance," said band director Mike Maynard. "It was hot, but these students are troopers and we have a wonderful staff who is well-trained in all the ways to keep kids healthy.
"We keep the kids in the shade when we can, and inside in musical rehearsals during the hottest parts of the day," he said.
After two weeks of concentrated practice, marching band students will hit the streets Aug. 16 for Tag Day, asking the community for donations to the high school's music program.
"We ask the community for financial support to help us run our band program," Maynard said. "We do Tag Day instead of selling candy bars or doing car washes. We need a certain amount of funds to operate a music program, and I think everyone understands that. We've always had great community support in Worthington."
Maynard said 135 students are attending band camp from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday through Aug. 15.
"Our goals for the camp are to familiarize all the students with marching fundamentals and the music for this year's show," Maynard said. "We have to train the new members of the marching band in the drills and maneuvers and we also welcome and train a whole new batch of student leaders."
This year's show is all about the Windy City.
"Our theme this year is Chicago," Maynard said. "In April, we'll take the entire marching band to Chicago, Ill., and will work with staff members from the University of Chicago. Our show will be a theatrical portrayal of the history of Chicago and a lot of the fun things about the city."
The show will begin with the song That Toddlin' Town, then move into hard rock with Metallica's Fire, Maynard said.
"We'll represent the great Chicago fire and add some theatrics to that, then in the third portion of the show, play Just You and Me, from the band Chicago, which will feature our trombones," he said. "In the last section, we'll play Sweet Home Chicago, which is an old spiritual song in origination, but was made popular through the Blues Brothers movie a few years ago."
Maynard said he and Assistant Band Director Eric Doolittle considered 50 possible songs for this year's show.
"We brainstorm ideas and narrow down the music, and usually start with a list of 50 possible songs," he said. "We want to make sure our theme has an educational approach, with music that will be enjoyable to our student performers, staff, parents, football crowds and the judges of the Ohio Music Education Association."
The band will perform at all 10 varsity football games and compete at the season's first OMEA contest Sept. 6 at Cloverleaf High School.
"We'll also do Market Day in Worthington on Aug. 13 and will travel to Lancaster High School for an OMEA festival," Maynard said.
On Sept. 27, the band will play at Licking Valley High School, then travel to Cedar Point for an overnight trip.
"We'll stay at a hotel that has a water park attached to it and celebrate that point of the season," Maynard said. "Then in October, we'll host our Preview of Champions."
The Preview of Champions features several area high school band performances at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 4.
On Oct. 18, the Thomas Worthington Marching Band will be the featured band at Dennison University and will attend a state qualifying event at TriValley High School in Dresden.
The state marching band finals are Oct. 31.
"This is a big year for the marching band program," Maynard said. "We have had four years of superior ratings at the state finals, and this is our attempt to have five years in a row, which has never been done in the history of our school."
Maynard said he is excited about the new season.
"We have a terrific senior class that has shown great leadership," he said.
The marching band staff also includes Assistant Director Ryan Alexis; James Fantine and Jackie Forman, percussion instruction; Justin Hibbitt, visual assistance; and Danny Dilloff and Janine Joseph, color guard.
"It's always an honor to represent Thomas Worthington during our performances and we appreciate the great support we get from our administration and the whole community," Maynard said.
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