MOUNT VERNON — They might not be running gassers or bringing the ball carrier to the ground in full pads and helmets, but the Mount Vernon High School marching band is working just as hard as other athletes to prepare for the 2008 football season.
With its weeklong band camp in full swing, band members are putting their best foot forward in order to learn all the right steps and memorize music for two half-time shows, as well as the pre-game performance.
Camp started with a couple of hours of work on Sunday, and proceeded to practices from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The week culminates with the annual Parent Show on Saturday evening.
“Saturday morning we’ll be in the stadium. Kind of a dress rehearsal type of thing. Then we have a Parent Show at 6 p.m.,” said Gary McCutcheon, band director. “It’s called a Parent Show, but it’s open to the public.”
There are 100 band members this year, give or take a few, McCutcheon said, and they have been preparing for this week since late spring.
“They get the music back in May, and we have a couple rehearsals in May before school is out. In fact, my exam is sight reading the new show music. They will pick up a lot of it then,” he said.
The 11 band sections met individually in July, at which time they went over specific problems with their music.
“When we got here Sunday, we were starting to come together pretty well musically,” he said.
Coming into camp with a solid grasp of the music, the band is able to focus a large majority of its time on the marching schemes for the two shows.
The music is the main inspiration, and the marching plans he draws up for the songs are used to enhance the music, McCutcheon said.
“I probably put in 14 or 15 hours on a show. It takes a while. Every year you have to set it up for a different number of kids, different instrumentation,” he said.
McCutcheon relies on his section leaders — as well as his wife and assistant band director, Carol, and drum major, Thomas Smith — to help him watch for marching mistakes while the students learn their spots. To a band director, these assistants are as important and necessary as assistant coaches are to any athletic program.
Band members Blake Daniels and Tyler Gregg demonstrated the dance moves the band will use in one of its shows. The duo developed the choreography and gave a lesson during Tuesday’s camp.
“The kids help [select music]. I get demo CDs from the publishing companies of new music,” said McCutcheon. “Basically, they will say ‘we like that, we like that,’ and I’ll get probably a dozen tunes that they think are pretty nice and are things I think are playable, and I’ll pick from that.”
What surprises the veteran band director is the selections students make over the years.
“It’s interesting the music the kids pick is old stuff. The new charts that are out, they don’t like those. They are picking the ’80s stuff, the Earth, Wind & Fire, the Bee Gees, some of the Beatles, the older things,” he said. “We’re here to entertain that audience. The student section is the youngest, so we have their peers and up. So, yeah, it appeals to a wide range that way.”
The band’s presence in the stadium helps set the tone and helps create the competitive atmosphere that defines Friday night football.
“Supporting the team; trying to add a little interest and excitement, entertaining the crowd. If there is a timeout or something we can play songs then and provide some entertainment for that,” McCutcheon said of the band’s responsibilities on game night.
“The main thing obviously is the pre-game — the fight song, the national anthem, and then the halftime. Even in the stands we have purpose,” he said.
To help raise funds for the band’s needs, the Yellow Jacket Card is on sale from any band member. The card offers discounts to more than 25 area businesses. Sixty percent of the selling price goes to the band’s general fund to help pay for expenditures such as renting tuxes, participation fees or trip expenses. Cards are also available at the MVHS office or by calling 393-5900.
