GRC Band Blog

By Rachel Parsons9:58 a.m. EDT, October 28, 2011

The George Rogers Clark High School marching band will face its toughest competition of the season Saturday at the Kentucky State Marching Band Championships.
After a full season of competitions throughout the state, band members said they feel well-prepared for the event, and are ready to test themselves against the best.
Competition begins at 11 a.m. at Western Kentucky University’s L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green.
“Obviously, if you’re in the right mindset, you can do it,” Sam Crankshaw, a junior marimba player, said.
Band instructors Chris Yoo and Joe Hobbs have given the band members the skills they need to succeed, Crankshaw said, and Saturday’s competition is a matter of being mentally prepared.
Their advice: “It’s all in your head,” Crankshaw said.
The 2011 routine, “Trilogy,” is based on the Bourne movie trilogy, including a measure for each film.
“I love our routine this year. It’s very fast paced and crowd pleasing,” Holly Robertson, a junior flutist, said.
For Robertson, Saturday’s competitions is an opportunity to prove how hard the musicians have worked this year.
“I like the fact that we get to perform as one of the best bands in the state,” Robertson said.
The top eight bands from the state’s East Regional competition qualified for the state finals, and senior Chris Wheeler, a trombone player, praised the other bands in the region, with 10 ranked Distinguished.
“I think the band will be ready (for the competition) when the time comes,” Wheeler said.
As a four year band member, Wheeler has had a lot of practice, and said he likes “to be ready ahead of time.”
“At this point, it’s just checking the details, making sure everybody’s where they need to be,” Wheeler said.
The build-up to the state competition has included extra practices, to make any necessary final tweaks and to build confidence.
“If we execute what we’ve been taught this season, and everybody performs to the best of their abilities, we have a shot,” Robertson said.
Preparing for the competition also has shown band members the importance of working as a unit.
“I think it helps us grow as a band, because we have this big performance we all work together to achieve,” Robertson said.

Contact Rachel Parsons at rparsons@winchestersun.com, or follow her on Twitter at @ParsonsRachel.