The sweat and dedication began in the summer, but the bands’ competition does not occur until months later.
This band competition season, Littlefield and Olton High School are preparing for the upcoming UIL Area Marching Band Contest after each receiving a 1, the superior standing in the competition.
“The kids can see how hard they’ve worked, and it pays off,” Bonnie Anderson, Littlefield High School’s Band Director, said. “They (practice) in the evenings and practice marching without us telling them to. They worked hard for a long time, and so they’re just as excited as we are.”
Serving as Littlefield High’s Band Director for over 32 years, Anderson said the extensive preparation addresses the various moving parts the band’s show offers, allowing the routine to appear seamless by the time competition rolls around.
Preparing as early as April, Anderson said conceptualizing the selected music with the proposed props marked the start of creating the band’s “Revolution” routine.
Including songs like “Revolution” by The Beatles, “Warriors” by Imagine Dragons and “Freedom” by Beyonce, Anderson said the routine symbolizes fighting for one’s cause.
“Our music is trying to prove a point– find something that you want to fight for,” Anderson said. “Our first song was “Revolution” by The Beatles, and then we became warriors … and then we close with “Freedom” by Beyonce, which means that we won our cause.”
Over at Olton High School, Band Director Travis McCullough said the music chosen for the band’s routine is akin to the students’ overall vibe. Thus, songs like “Pure Imagination” from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” and “A Million Dreams” from “The Greatest Showman” are in the band’s routine.
“Really, the inspiration for the music was very whimsical and energetic,” McCullough said, “and I felt like it really suited our kids’ strengths, and was something that they would enjoy playing.”
While advancement in the competition is the ultimate goal for the Olton band, McCullough said allowing his students to play for enjoyment is one of the main takeaways he hopes to foster for his students.
“I want them to enjoy performing together,” McCullough said, “the experience of getting on the field and putting a product out there for other people and to share the excitement they’re having with the music with the audience.”
For now, each school’s band is fine-tuning its set ahead of the competition.
“We’re going to work on our music to try to get it better in tune and get our phrasing better,” Anderson said. “You know, get everybody breathing in the same place. We’ll be just cleaning all the different songs, cleaning the music and cleaning the drill.”
Up next, the UIL Region I Contest is set for Oct. 26 in Lubbock, Texas.