By: JJ Martin

Sentry Staff Reporter

The sound of music fills the surrounding areas at Navy Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, as high school bands prepare to compete at the U.S Bands Mid Atlantic State Championships. In a nearby lot, the Marching Patriots start to warm up and get ready to perform their music pieces for the judges.

The marching band, a 60 person organization, has been practicing vigorously since the start of the school year. In mid- August, they went to Mercersburg Academy, Pennsylvania to practice their routine for a week. At the beginning of the marching season, they performed at the 9-11 Memorial 5K run. They also perform at football games and other competitions.

The marching band practices every Tuesday and Thursday and plus they have a strong work ethic during rehearsals that really pays off. An Adjudicator from the Virginia Band & Orchestra Directors Association said,

“One of the things that I really love here is that you guys are going beyond the technical demand of the drill and the music and you are really performing. You’ve mastered the vocabulary.”

On November 3, the band got to leave school early to have morning rehearsal and then loaded up on buses to drive to Navy Stadium.

“Once we get there, we warm up, and then we perform,” said sophomore Brendan McShane, who plays clarinet.

At the championships, there was a total of 20 schools, but as a team, they placed fourth out of 13 schools in their division. McShane replied,

“There was a lot teams and many interesting shows.”

The band’s show Wild Things according to the band director Brian Bersh was:

“A very complex and challenging show design.”

The program  included “Heaven’s Light” by Steven Reinekes, “Xerxes” by John Mackey, “The Maelstrom” by Robert W. Smith and “Tanz” from Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana”.

“We aim to perform it to the best of our ability,” said Bersh.

“We have really improved since the start of the season and developed a show that goes beyond what marching band is.”

Being in the marching band can be a little difficult at times. Strong gusts of wind can make it hard for the guard to spin and catch their flags. Glare from the sun can block out the drum major and cold weather can make it harder to carry a tune. Another problem is that each stadium is different, so the band members have to adjust to the change. Bersh said,

“Fortunately, the students are trained performers and can quickly adapt themselves to success.”

To score high and win, the band is judged by adjudicators who are responsible for judging different parts of the show. At the last show, the Marching Patriots were judged for Color Guard, Percussion, Music Ensemble, Music Individual, and the Overall Effect. Then the scores of all these categories are averaged to get the bands final placement.

The band is led by Amanda Frickie during competition. Bersh said during competitions he sits in the stands like a normal person and cheers the band on. The Color Guard, Battery, Front Ensemble, and the Winds compose the groups of the marching band.

In previous competitions, the band has placed extremely high. They placed first at Northern Virginia Regional. They were awarded third place at the Oakton Classic and a Superior Rating with straight 1s, the best possible score at the State Marching Assessment. They were also honored with getting best caption for Best Percussion in 3A at the Mid-Atlantic State Championships and with placing second  overall for Virginia schools. Also at various competitions, they received captions awards for Best Music, Best Visual Performance, and Best Overall Effect. The Marching Patriots were also WUSA9 Band of the Week. Bersh said,

“Participating in the marching band provides a unique opportunity to make music as a member of a performance ensemble that takes an innovative approach to entertainment with an emphasis on musicality and creativity. We feel very fortunate to share that experience with the many students who participate.”