Woodwind Captain and Saxophone Section Leader Mia Angulo (right) works with a group of saxophone players Thursday afternoon during the band’s rehearsal for the Fourth of July parade.
Glenn Battishill | The Gazette
Flute Section Leader Vicky Chen (seated) goes over music with her fellow flute players during a sectional practice Thursday.
Glenn Battishill | The Gazette
The Hayes High School Grand Pacer Marching Band assembled this week for the first time this season to prepare for the upcoming Fourth of July parade.
Band Director Bill Fowles said Thursday the season technically began last week with leadership training for the band’s section leaders followed by sessions for just freshman and band leaders on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Fowles said the full band came together on Wednesday and practiced as a group for the rest of the week.
“It’s been going really well,” Fowles said. “We’re trying to fight the air quality and all that stuff, but it’s been good. It’s going really well.”
Fowles said he and Dempsey Middle School Director of Bands Alan Notestine gave the band the music for the parade at the end of last school year, and the band is mostly focused on marching fundamentals and memorization.
“Musically, they should be fairly strong,” Fowles said. “A lot of the focus has been on marching and walking them through memorization process. It’s a new year. We’re trying to put together as good of a show as we can and engage our community the best we can. (We want to) keep that standard of excellence and put the best quality show every time we can.
Fowles said he’s enjoyed the feeling of getting the band back together and working with students ahead of the upcoming school year.
“I’m so excited to see them because it’s the start of what we’re trying to accomplish this year,” said Fowles, who joined the district last year. “It always makes me happy and excited just to get them all together for that first time. It’s definitely nice having a year under my belt. I now know a little more about how things function and how things work. The excitement is just the same as it was last year being in here to get to work with these kids and our staff this year. I’m really excited to be in Delaware and continue the tradition of excellence that we have here.”
Notestine said he has enjoyed seeing the incoming seniors step into leadership roles this year.
“They’ve been in the shadows because (last year) we really had a strong senior class,” Notestine said. “With those kids gone, they are starting to come into their own. … You can feel a buzz with the kids.”
Woodwind Captain and Saxophone Section Leader Mia Angulo said Thursday she’s enjoyed stepping up as a captain this year.
“I’m so excited,” Angulo said. “I was scared because I have the largest section and being captain is a whole new thing, but it’s so fun. These kids have been getting better every day, and they were great when they came in. I’m really proud of them already. I’m really excited for the rest of the season because I know they’re going to get even better.”
Angulo, a senior, said she’s enjoyed meeting new band members and making connections with her section.
“I like getting to know all the new people,” she said. “Every year I’ve been a little worried, and every year my expectations are blown out of the water. All of these kids are amazing. I’ve made incredible friends and had great experiences. I think this year is going to be the best.”
Vicky Chen, a junior and the flute section leader, said Thursday that she enjoyed being around her fellow bandmates this week.
“Something I really enjoyed was just meeting with everybody again,” Chen said. “There’s a lot of people from previous years, but the highlight is seeing the freshmen come in and break out of their shell and be more confident.”
Chen said the week of working on basic technique with newcomers is essential.
“The fundamentals, although tedious, are one of the most important parts of it,” she said. “With the right people and the right feelings, it can definitely be a fun part.”
Chen said she enjoyed having so much time to work with her section this week.
“Getting to know each person individually on a smaller scale brings out so much more in people that you don’t see when you’re with the full band,” Chen said. “I have high hopes for this year.”
Fowles said that after the parade, the band will take a couple weeks off before precamp rehearsals are held on July 24, followed by Band Camp on July 31, where the band will work on its upcoming show “One Giant Leap,” which is centered on the moon landing.
“(This year’s show) will be out of this world,” Notestine joked.
Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.
