Flashback Post!
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| With the band directors at senior night |
This Saturday, I went to the OMEA State Marching Band Finals with my best friend, Emily. Of course, Hilliard Darby got a superior rating!
Freshman year of high school, Emily and I became friends because of marching band. I couldn’t imagine my life without her or if I hadn’t been involved band.
It was so wonderful to see that marching band is still a part of so many high schooler’s lives. It teaches values like teamwork, hard work and dedication.
In my high school journalism class, I wrote an article as part of an assignment and I wanted to share it.
The article covers a marching band competition that we went to.
Oct 25 2007
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Band Dominates Tri-Valley
The Hilliard Darby Marching Band won their third Grand Champion award on Saturday evening at the Tri-Valley Band Festival, according to darbybands.org.
“The Marching Panthers” traveled to Tri-Valley High School, located in Dresden, Ohio, and performed their 2007 show titled, “Channel One Suite” on October 20th. The band won four Overall Best in Class awards, Overall Grand Champion award, and received a Superior rating.
According to Joe Burke, the director of bands at Darby, there were a total of fifteen performing marching bands.
“Tri-Valley is just a regular OMEA-approved band contest. This year, our graduating seniors requested that we attend,” said Burke. “We’ve been there three or four times before in years past.”
He also predicted the band would “do well” and expressed a “possibility of becoming Grand Champions.”
Before the competition, sophomore flute player Emily May predicted, “I think we’ll do pretty well because we just finished learning our show. I think people will really get excited about the music.”
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| Marching band hats |
A junior mellophone player had a much more confident prediction about the outcome of the band’s performance.
“I think we’re gonna kick butt,” exclaimed Sarah Cooper. “This is the best show we’ve ever had because of the amazing brass feature.”
After the competition, the band was thrilled with their success. “I’m really pleased with how we did. It feels great to know that we’re Grand Champions,” May beamed.
According to the Darby band website, “The band placed first in class “AA” and won the following awards: Outstanding Percussion – Class AA, Overall Best Music, Overall Best Marching, Overall Best Percussion, and Overall Grand Champion Band. Other results included: Second Place Auxiliary – Class AA. The band also earned a Superior rating.”
The Hilliard Darby band is known for their outstanding performances.
“I think we have such a good reputation because of our past performances, exciting shows, fast tempos, and good music,” said Burke. “I like this year’s show. I think it’s well played and well-arranged.” He also noted that the band needs to work on “individual and personal responsibility.”
The Darby band will perform at the OMEA State Marching Band Finals on Saturday, October 27 at Dublin Coffman High School. Their performance time is 5:30 p.m. They will also perform at halftime during the Groveport Madison High School football game on Friday, October 26.
The typical Darby marching band week consists of practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-5 p.m., then on Wednesdays from 3:30- 5:30.
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| Hillard Darby marching band |
“On Fridays we prepare for the football game. We practice beforehand if it’s a home game,” said sophomore trombone player Alaina Mills. “On Saturdays we normally practice from about 12- 3:30 p.m. and then afterwards we get ready for our competition.”
The Darby Marching Band also has won previous Overall Grand Champion awards at New Bremen High School and Northwestern High School. The band regularly competes at OMEA adjudicated band shows.
The band’s show, “Channel One Suite” was originally written by legendary jazz drummer Buddy Rich.
The band was led on Saturday by Field Commanders Taylor Colman, Ben Powell, and Alyssa Hoop.
The Panther band is comprised of 200 members, including 11 color guard members and 34 percussion players. The Hilliard Darby Marching Band is in its 11th season.
Debbie Gillum Wakefield 