Trumbull High School Band

Thirty winter color guard units from across the Northeast will compete at Trumbull High School this Saturday as part of a regional competition sponsored by the national organization Winter Guard International (WGI). Trumbull has had the privilege of hosting this important competition for the past three years. Participation in regional events allows the winter guard units to receive feedback from WGI judges before the culmination of the season at the WGI national championships in April.

Trumbull High School’s own World Guard team, which competes at the highest level of scholastic competition, will perform its program titled “In Darkness”. The ambitious program, performed on a black and green floor adorned with images of soldiers, battlefields, and patriotic symbolism, portrays the tribulations of military battle. The group’s performance is accompanied by singer Sinéad O’Connor’s haunting rendition of “Silent Night”.

Trumbull’s World Guard is made up of 27 girls, including freshmen through seniors. The unit captured 11th place in the WGI national championships in Dayton, Ohio last year and hopes to build on its success at the 2010 championships this April. In its review of the Scholastic World finals last year, the WGI described Trumbull’s ensemble, saying “Exuding strength, confidence and glee in everything they do, don’t be surprised if Trumbull moves to the top of the pack in the Scholastic World class in years to come.”

In color guard, or its indoor version known as winter guard, dance movements are combined with the spinning and tossing of flags, sabers, and mock rifles. Performances are evaluated rigorously on a number of criteria including equipment, movement, general effect, and ensemble.

Saturday’s program begins at noon and guard units will be performing throughout the afternoon and evening. Ticket prices are $13 for the preliminary competition, $15 for finals, or $25 for both.

My name is Rachael and I am freshman at Trumbull high school. This is my second year in Winter Guard, AA division. To many people the color purple represents calm and relaxation, but to AA guard this year, it represents pride and a new season. Our show is called “On the Starting Line”. For the past couple of months we worked hard learned drills, new flag spins, and made new friendships.

This past Saturday, January 23rd, we had our first competition in Shelton. All morning long we worked on perfecting the hard parts of the show, but we also taught the new girls how to perform. We teach that not by speaking but by actions. The tension and nerves grew as the day drew closer to the competition. Around 3pm we began rushing to put make-up on, hair spray and change into our purple and silver costumes. With butterflies in our stomach and excitement in the air we got ready. This is my favorite part of the day.

Once we arrived in Shelton we warmed up, listened to speeches from our instructors, and tried hard to stay calm. My mind wandered as I ran through the show a couple of times in my head. The new girls became shaky with nerves and I tried to calm them by saying it is just another run through. During the show everything just clicked, our muddy parts became clean as we ended with large smiles on our faces. We were all pleased with our first performance. After we ate dinner, we sat in the stands and waited for the announcement of awards. When it came to “AA” guard we held hands as my heart pump really fast. As a result of our great work we scored a 60.0 which put us in 4th place out of seven guards in our class. Not too bad for our first show.

That night we established our ground for the season, by showing the judges our style. I left Shelton High that night with a smile because a little bit of purple, black, and gold was left behind showing the Trumbull was ready for the season!

~Rachael

“Trumbull High School, is your guard ready?” No words bring greater anticipation to a winter color guard parent than these. The crowded gymnasium, which had just roared to life to welcome our daughters, is suddenly hushed. The girls are in their places, and soon we hear the opening bars of the song that forms the basis of their 2010 show. “Silent night, broken night..” echoes through the gym as we wait for the first movements of what we fervently hope will be a smooth performance. Shortly after the girls begin their opening dance moves, the thrills begin. First one rifle, then another, and another, and another are tossed high into the air, caught by what seems to be an endless series of girls. The whoosh of the rifles mimics the sound effects of a helicopter in their music. Before we know it, the floor is awash with 27 girls—some waving and tossing flags in rapid-fire motion, others are throwing sabers and still others catching rifles from seemingly impossible heights. So many girls moving in so many different directions, yet working as one to make a dramatic statement with their athleticism and their grace.
It is a measure of the girls’ devotion to their craft that they plunged enthusiastically into winter color guard immediately upon finishing a highly demanding fall marching band season. These girls have set a high goal for themselves. They aim to continue to be ranked among the top performers in the entire country in the highest class of scholastic competition for winter color guard. Last year, at the national championships in Dayton, Ohio, the Trumbull World Guard moved into 11th place with “Aurora”, a beautiful program set to a Puccini aria. This year’s very dramatic program titled “In Darkness” draws on their versatility to show them in a very different, and very moving, light.
As a parent, those few minutes of performance seem to last forever, as we sit and watch through eyes filled with tears of pride, holding our breath, praying that all goes well. Yet the performances also seem to go by in a flash, as we crave another chance to see all the things we missed the first time around. There is always next week…another show, another chance to see the result of the endless hours of practice, the bumps, and bruises our girls endure to reach their high level of performance. It will all culminate in that championship performance in Dayton this spring. As the mother of a senior, I will cherish that moment when I sit in the Dayton Arena, surrounded by thousands of cheering winter guard aficionados, and hear those words… Yes, I have no doubt. Our guard WILL be ready!

Elena – Guard Mom

I parked in front of the Trumbull High School band room one day while waiting to take my son to the mall. This is where my high school junior and three year member of the award-winning Trumbull HS Golden Eagle Marching Band asks to be picked up. As I sit there observing from a short distance, it is then that I realize just how much the entire scene reminds me of bees around their bee hive. I sit there watching as members of the marching band come out to meet their parents, or in the case of seniors and some juniors, go to their own cars to drive home after a long day of school. The color guard members and musicians run back and forth to relay messages to parents or to retrieve forgotten books, various articles of clothing, and instruments. I smile as I  recall footage I have seen on National Geographic of bees flying in and out of their hives. When my son comes to the car, I ask him if there is a band class or a guard class at the end of the day to which he replies “No.”
The THS band room is more than just another entrance/exit for the 132 Golden Eagles. With six or more doors by which to exit the school, they choose one. In most cases, there is absolutely no reason to return to the band room at the end of the day. Surely, there are doors much closer to their last class, their lockers or their parked cars. No, these doors are very different. These are doors to their home away from home, their safe haven, their bee hive. These are doors to a room in which they have spent countless hours not only practicing their instruments and spinning rifles but also doors to a happy place in which they have built beautiful and positive memories to last a lifetime. Like bees, it is as though they feel protected from the turmoil, and, unfortunately, even dangers that kids can sometimes face in a high school.
Yes, the Trumbull High School band room is like a bee hive and their beautiful music is like their honey. How ironic that the school colors are black and gold.

By Susan Gooden

THSGEMB is in the news helping to kick off Good Morning America’s Warm Coats and Warm Hearts Drive. In its second year, the band has been collecting coats that will benefit the Bridgeport Rescue Mission. Last year they collected well over 3,000 coats and hopes to collect even more this year. The band has been humbled by the generous support of the community and organizes the coat drive as a way to express its gratitude.

 About 20 members of the band performed live on GMA this morning. If you missed all the fun this morning, click on the following links.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9153006

http://www.connpost.com/news/ci_13849868?source=rss

This just in – About 20 members of the Trumbull High School Golden Eagle Marching band will appear on the national broadcast of ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) on Monday, November 23rd, for the second year in a row.
The students, representing different sections of the band, will perform live outside the GMA studio in New York City. In addition to performing, the musicians will discuss their participation in GMA’s Warm Coats & Warm Hearts coat drive.

The students have taken on this annual service project as their way of thanking the people of Trumbull for their generous support of the band throughout the year. This year’s collection will benefit the Bridgeport Rescue Mission. Donations of gently used coats, hats, scarves, and gloves may be made at various locations around Trumbull, including Town Hall, the main library, Stop and Shop, Porricelli’s, and various churches. The deadline for donations is at noon on Wednesday, November 25.

WTNH and the Trumbull Times have already provided media coverage of the bands upcoming trip to the GMA studios. Set your DVR for Monday morning! Watch, as once again the members of THSGEMB make us proud, just like they have all season long! GO EAGLES!

The Trumbull High School Golden Eagle Marching Band ended its season on a high note with its strongest performance of the year at the Musical Arts Conference (MAC) Class V championships held at Central High School’s Kennedy Stadium on November 14.
Although the band’s score of 97.3 points fell just short of Norwalk High School’s overall winning score, the Golden Eagles won the categories of Best Color Guard, Best Percussion, and tied for Best General Effect. This is the fifth consecutive year that Trumbull’s percussion section won this honor, and the fourth consecutive award for the color guard. The outstanding performance by Trumbull’s color guard on Saturday night earned a perfect score from the MAC judges, the first perfect score awarded at such a competition in recent memory.
The band’s 2009 show, titled “Replay”, is a collection of its signature pieces from the past 12 years, including music by Debussy, Bernstein, and Holst.
After taking a few days to savor its accomplishment, the band will gear up again for an appearance in the UBS Parade Spectacular in Stamford this Sunday, November 22. The Golden Eagles’ nationally ranked winter color guard and percussion programs are also set to begin practicing for their new season this week.
The Musical Arts Conference is made up of high school bands from Connecticut, New Jersey and New York competing in five levels. The THSGEMB, in the highest class of competition, is a Class V marching band with over 104 musicians, 29 color guard and two drum majors. The band director is Peter Horton and assistant directors are Thomas Whitmoyer and Carman T. Dragone. The color guard is under the direction of Raymond Rhodes.

Last night, I had my final performance at Norwalk High School, and it was absolutely amazing. The Norwalk show is always intense, but this year, it was more intense than ever. Our band marched onto the field and truly performed our hearts out. I felt the emotion everyone had put into their music. I even got teary-eyed during the ballad! As the band marched off the field after the performance, I was filled with pride for myself and the band. After returning and watching Norwalk’s exhibition from the side of the field, I and the rest of the Trumbull seniors got another chance to have our names called in recognition of our years of dedication. I am so grateful to have been given that opportunity again. It saddens me that I have only one show left in my fall band career. It has all gone by so fast. When I’m in college next year and I come visit, it just won’t be the same. I will miss performing with this band so much.
I’m looking forward to an excellent week of practice, as well as a phenomenal Championship show next week!
Emma, Class of 2010