With football season in full swing, it’s not just the athletes who are performing every week. The high school bands are also an integral part of the action under the Friday night lights.
The band keeps the music going from before the game starts, to their moment in the spotlight during halftime and until the last play is called (don’t forget the alma mater or fight song at the very end). The directors and students put much thought, time and effort into their performances and bring an extra layer of excitement each week.
If you live near a school, you can hear them practicing many afternoons as they continue to try to perfect their performance. On any given Friday night, you can fi nd the following bands performing along the 280 corridor.
Photo by Jimmy Mitchell.
The Oak Mountain marching band performs during a game against Chelsea on Aug. 23 at Chelsea High School.
OAK MOUNTAIN
Oak Mountain’s Spirit of Cahaba marching band is led by Director Kevin Owenby and Associate Director Travis Bender. With a total of 220 members, OMHS has three drum majors: Charlene Zhao, Matthew Bray and Jasmin Hernandez leading the way.
In addition to performing on Friday nights, they continue to practice three days a week after school for over two hours each day. Last month, they hosted and played in the Shelby County Showcase of Bands and also in the OMHS Homecoming Parade.
They will also participate in three competitions this year: Oct. 5 at the Lake Martin Invitational; Oct. 19 at the Hoover Marching Invitational and Nov. 2 at the Alabama State Marching Band Championships.
The theme of their show this year is A Race Against Time, and includes songs about time, including Jim Croce’s “Time in a Bottle,” the Back to the Future theme song, “One Short Day” from the musical Wicked, “Clocks” by Coldplay, “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper, and Andre Bocelli’s “Time to Say Goodbye.”
“The marching band is split into many smaller classes during the school day, so students are always working on music outside of our halftime show,” Bender said.
After football season ends, OMHS offers ensembles within the band department including three concert bands, two jazz bands, two percussion ensembles and two classes of band techniques. The visual ensemble members can choose to participate in winter guard or majorette competitions.
SPAIN PARK
Director Chris Neugent and Associate Director Richard Adams head up Spain Park’s Pride of the Park band. They have a total of 185 student performers led by drum majors Megan Amrine, Rachel Morris and Janna Ren.
Band members rehearse during five different class periods each school day before practicing for an additional five to six hours each week after school.
The Pride of the Park hosted the Sparks in the Park Marching Exhibition on Sept. 24 and participated in a competition at Pinson Valley on Sept. 28. They will head to Opelika for another competition Oct. 12 then march in the National Veterans Day Parade in downtown Birmingham on Nov. 11.
Their theme for their halftime show this year is Spectrum, which highlights different shades on the color spectrum with songs including George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper, and Spanish song “Malaguena.”
After marching season, Neugent said they shift their focus indoors.
“We have a well-rounded program that includes jazz ensemble, three concert bands, competitive dance and twirl, winter guard and percussion ensemble,” he said.
CHELSEA
The Chelsea Hornet Pride Marching band is led by director Perry Lawley. Drum majors Brooklyn Bentley, Laurel Gigis and Katherine Wilkinson lead the 151-member ensemble.
With afterschool practices three days a week until their competition season ends, the band will cut back to one weekly sessions.
The Hornet Pride band will participate in two marching competitions this season: the Trussville Marching Invitational on Oct. 5 and the Pell City Marching Festival on Oct. 19. They will have their usual place in the Chelsea Christmas Parade on Dec. 21.
The Hornet Pride’s show for this season is titled 100% Chance of Rain, featuring songs including “Africa” by Toto, “Umbrella” by Rihanna, Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain,” “Singing in the Rain” by Gene Kelly and the Wizard of Oz’s title song, “Over the Rainbow.”
“The success of any band program lies with heavy emphasis on the concert band,” Director Perry Lawley said. “If students can’t sit and play well, then they’re not going to move and play well, either. So we quickly shift our class time during the school day to working on concert music and generally perform a fall concert in late October while football season is still in full swing.”
BRIARWOOD
The Briarwood Christian Marching Lion Band is under the direction of Ted Seabury and Assistant Director Joanna Finch. This year’s 55 member band is led by drum major, Aimee Dick.
Their halftime show theme is And the Greatest of These Is Love and represents loving, being loved and unloved, and the power of love. Song selections include “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley, Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” by The Righteous Brothers, “Creep” by Radiohead and Huey Lewis and the News’ “Do You Believe In Love?”
The band will continue after school practices twice each week until their competition season ends. Their first competition was Sept. 28 at Mid South hosted by Gadsden High School and the second will be Oct. 19 at a location to be determined. They will also perform in Briarwood’s Homecoming parade at both school campuses.
“Even during football season we focus on symphonic band,” Seabury said. “The musicianship required for a good concert band is universal and should transfer to our Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble and even Winter Guard.”
The regular high school football season runs through the end of October, so if you want to catch one or more of these bands performances, make your Friday night plans now.