Take 10 steps forward. Curve to the left. Look down. Make corrections. Go back and do it again.
Members of Killeen ISD’s five high school bands are back at school for their annual summer band camps.
The hundreds of student musicians arrive earlier and stay later than a regular day of school to learn the basics of marching band – from the initial first few steps to marching in time and eventually adding music and building drills that become a complete and impressive show.
In the beginning, it’s a lot of repetition, a lot of counting and for freshmen and others new to marching band, a lot to learn.
Incoming Ellison senior Jewell Reese recalled her freshman year. She was newly moved to town from Japan with her military family and, though she was part of concert band, had never seen marching band. When she saw it, she decided she wanted to join.
She marched in the Ellison band as a sophomore, earned her way to a spot as a drum major as a junior and this year is a senior drum major.
“It’s all about learning the basics getting everything under our feet. It feels good. The energy is high,” Reese said as the band stepped through a drill to the beat of a metronome on the marching pad in front of the school.
In her third year in the Screaming Eagle Band, the senior drum major said she’s seen the level of work and commitment improve.
“It’s fun to watch everyone give their all. When we get to the final part of the show and everyone is looking at you it’s like ‘Wow. Amazing.’”
“I hope they are understanding it,” she said of the new band members. “Every year, it’s a new group teaching everyone else and carrying it forward to the next year.”
Ellison’s show this year is called “Boom, Crash, Pow,” a comic book superhero theme.
At Killeen High School, senior drum major Austyn Jacob helped lead the bulk of the Roo Band spread out on a marching pad alongside Leo Buckley Stadium as other elements of the KHS band worked inside the auditorium.
“Band camp is a way to get our (students) a good rundown of what marching band is all about and get them excited,” he said.
“It makes me really happy. I’m excited. I live for the experience and want to help make everyone’s day a good one,” Jacob said.
Learning to march forward, backward and turning directions are part of the initial lessons. “It is a lot to learn, but they work hard and it goes by fast.”
The KHS show, “Panachroma,” features classic Americana songs that pay homage to some of the country’s most famous and majestic sites.
Through the season, as the marching shows grow longer and add drill, the hours of summer repetition will pay off for the hard-working student musicians.
“We’re learning the fundamentals of marching trying to perfect our posture, our feet and trying to make sure we have great technique,” said Shoemaker High School senior Layla Llantade, a Greywolf Band drum major.
“It’s very exciting and exhilarating and fun. We have a big crowd. There’s a ball of energy inside of you – so many things go through your mind – ‘where’s your set, can I make it to the end, the music’ – a plethora of things going on,” she said of performing.
Still, the high school band experience is far more than perfecting a competition show.
“I hope they learn that even though we learn a lot about technique, the main thing about band is having fun,” said Llantade.
The Shoemaker show is called “In Pieces,” and is based on a Japanese concept of repairing something broken and making it stronger in the process.
This year’s Harker Heights show is called “Midnight Renegade.” It incorporates western props and music.
Harker Heights senior Nayeli Waggoner, a Red Brigade Band drum major, agreed that the process of learning the basics leads to the excitement of game days and competitions and building memories that last.
“Summer band is about doing the fundamentals. We see who we need to help out and focus on getting everyone ready,” she said.
“Being in front of the band and hearing what it sounds like is different. I get that adrenaline rush every time.”
Chaparral High School Bobcat Band drum major Dominic Spafford, a senior, described band as a close-knit family, which speaks to this year’s show theme.
“Summer band is where we drill in fundamentals in marching and how we rehearse and present ourselves out front,” he said. “The third week we get into the drill and marking down what our show will look like.”
When performing to a stadium full of people, “There is a lot of energy, especially when you’re new to the experience. The fans feel it and see it in the visuals. There is a lot circulating through the stadium.”
This year’s Bobcat Band show is called “Code of Silence,” emphasizing the intense family nature of the band. It will draw musically and visually from mafia-themed media.
“You feel the community in band,” said Spafford. “It is very supportive and welcoming and that makes you care about band. You do it for them and for the community.”
All the KISD bands are prepping for a show Aug. 21 called “Salute to Heroes,” halftime shows that begin with the start of football season Aug. 27 and 28 and the annual Spirit Spectacular on Sept. 19 leading into UIL marching band competitions.
See photos of summer band camp at www.killeenisd.org/photos