Band prepares for competition season
The yearbook’s new drone captured this photo of the band at a football game. The band’s theme is Evolution of the Machine.
On Sunday, September 10, the band hosted a competition at the seventh Annual Knights Marching Tournament. Other bands from schools around the state competed. They have also been hard at work, and will be for many more months, preparing for the reputed end of the year final competition at the University of Illinois on October 21.
“The tempo got messed up a bit when we were performing, but we luckily pulled it back together,” said junior Marisa Medina.
Band is known for performing their numbers before football games and when the drumline marches through the hallway with potential state champions. But many people don’t know the trials and tribulations of the band and what they go through to perform.
“It takes 3 or 4 months of prep for the final competition. We practice for 50 minutes during 5th period for game days,” said drum major Lilia Rohmann.
Band director Dr. Candace Edstrand has been teaching band for 13 years and knows firsthand, and most likely the best out of anybody, how hard the band practices to perform.
“We have a two week camp in the summer prior to the start of school to begin working on our competition marching show. In addition to night rehearsals, the band practices daily,” Edstrand said.
The band spends time practicing every day for halftime shows, as well as spending 3-4 months practicing for the final competition. They not only are the entertainment before sport games at the school, they also have competitions to practice for the performance at the University of Illinois.
“A lot rests on my shoulders when performing. I know that if I make a mistake, it’ll show and affect the whole band,” Medina said.
Band works hard at what they do, and the students who are in band have to make sure their hard work pays off.
“People don’t realize how hard band works, how much time they put into this craft and how talented each individual is,” Rohmann stated.
Band students, as well as Dr. Edstrand, are incredibly proud of the band. This year’s theme is Evolution of the Machine, and they have put together a machine based show.
