Trumbull High School Band

This past week was our first week of band camp for the 2009 season. We’ve had days that were so hot kids dropped like flies because they were tired, sick, or dehydrated, and others looked like lobsters. As tiring and hot as it was, there is a lot of excitement for the upcoming season and show, from where I stand in the color guard. As a band, we are making great progress!

In the guard, we’ve learned some work and choreography for the show. Some of it is different and harder than what we are used to, but very fun, and we can’t wait to learn the rest of the show. As fun and exciting as it is, this year’s show has us working harder than last year. In the guard, the difficulty of our exercises increases each day, which aides to the strength we need to get through the show. Everyday we’ve been told “There is no going back to the day before” or “We strive for more each day” which is completely true. It may be exhausting, and hard to get through, but in the long run, all our hard work will pay off in the best way possible.

This best part of this new week of band camp will be putting the finishing touches on our show and finally practicing as a full band. It’s really exciting to see and hear what show is like by the end of the week when we are all together. And we will have our first exhibition this weekend.

Now if we can just hope that some of the high school construction will be out of the way for our fall classic on Oct 3rd, we will do great!

Stephanie
Color Guard

Here it is already and the first week of band camp almost done. This first week has been killer because the weather was so hot! I’d like to thank all the chaperones that do almost anything to keep us cool. If we’re lucky enough the sprinkler will go on just as we’re exiting the field for lunch or dinner breaks. We are all working so hard and I’m so proud of what we all have accomplished so far. Although it’s grueling at times, we’re having so much fun learning all the work and drills for our fall classic. Come to Trumbull High on Oct. 3rd. and see for yourself. Our show is going to be so awesome!

Samantha (Guard)
Sophomore

Today was the first day of band camp. We found out over the weekend that camp was moved to Hillcrest Middle School due to the construction at Trumbull High School (THS). Today was a scorcher, temps over 90 and humid. The morning went pretty well. After lunch the students went to practice under the trees at THS to get out of the sun. Around 2:00 I noticed the sky getting grey. A few minutes later, I noticed a huge bolt of lightning in the distance, no thunder yet. Another one of the parents drove off in the golf cart to locate all the students to get them into the middle school. The students were pretty quick about working their way across the field and getting safely into the middle school.

Once inside the school they broke off into their groups and went right back to work in various sections of the school. Four of us chaperones sat in the HOT cafeteria sorting paperwork. We noticed through one of the windows that is was hailing which was followed by unbelievable downpours. We could hear the pounding rain on the roof. There was a tremendous clap of thunder that made us all jump out of our chairs. A little into the storm I went to the back door to peak outside. It was cooling down and still raining. They two tents that were had set up for band camp were blown across the back parking lot. One was on top of a car and the other blew across the lot into a fence. We ran out into the storm to try and salvage them but couldn’t. We were soaked, but I have to admit after sitting in the cafeteria it felt good. After the storm five parents went outside to clean up. One tent was totally damaged. The other was salvageable. Streams of water were flowing through the parking lot. By the time the students came outside at 4:30 to get their dinners it was sunny, hot and humid again. I am chaperoning again tomorrow. I think I am going to wear my bathing suit with my beach cover!

BW

In less than one week we will be starting band camp – two weeks, Monday through Friday from 9am to 9pm, of a lot of hard work. I am going to be a junior this year so I have some experience with this. If we work together and efficiently like we have in years past, then all will go well. The weather is usually hot, which is why it is vital to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated so we that we are all performing at our full potential. It is also important to get a good night’s rest during the week, so that we are attentive and better able to perform the tasks that will be assigned to us by the instructors. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen for protection from the sun as well as sunglasses and a hat.

At times it might seem like Band Camp is an impossible task, but as long as you have the energy and the desire, then band camp will go smoothly and efficiently. There will be a lot of ground to cover and a lot of music and drill to memorize, so be alert and try to keep a positive attitude. It is always fun to look forward to the first parent’s show, as well as the band camp dance.

Another fun thing is in the weekend between Band Camp weeks, the band hosts a Fire and Ice fundraiser at the SportsCenter of Connecticut in Shelton.  This year it will be on Saturday, August 22nd from 7 to 9:30 pm.  For $20 you get two and a half hours of unlimited Lazer Tag and Ice Skating.  It’s a great time for bandos to blow off some steam and for anyone who wants to come its a great deal!  Go to the bands website for more information www.thsgembcorp.com. 

Miles
Alto Sax

Last night I went to my first full band practice. I was on vacation and at camp so I missed some of the preliminary things. It was great to be back with almost everyone – some kids are still on vacation and away. It was also little sad not seeing the seniors who just graduated, they were really helpful and nice to me last season. But the good news is that I was going to be considered a “real” freshmen this year and not an 8th grade freshmen. I officially start high school in a few weeks. There will be a lot more kids in my age group this year, many of them I haven’t seen in three years as they went to our towns other middle school. It will be good to reconnect with them and see how they handle being in band.

When I got my music I was unsure of how it would all work but I think it will come together great even though haven’t heard all of it. Believe it or not I can’t wait for band camp – all 12 hours a day of it for two straight weeks and the season to start!

(Tuba) Tyler M

Hello everyone, my name is Emma, and I am going to be a senior at Trumbull High School. This will be my fourth and final year in the marching band. I can’t believe it’s already that time! The first full band practice starts in just two days. I’ve been looking forward to band all summer, as I do every summer. I can’t wait to hear what our show is going to sound like with the whole band performing! I miss band an awful lot this month. I don’t get to see most of the people in band with the exception of my section, the alto saxophones.. There are many changes in our band this season. Everything will be different, especially since I’ll be a senior. Seniors get to lead other bands onto the field at the Classic (our home show), decorate the band room at the Classic and Championships, and more. Most importantly, before Championships, (which will be the last field show for many of us), each of the seniors get to make a speech in front of the band by candlelight in the dark of the chorus room. It’s all very emotional. There are always tears during the speeches and on Championship day in general. I’ve been thinking for a long time about what I’m going to say. Unfortunately, with the anticipation for the coming season, also comes worry. There is going to be construction at our school this year, so our plans for band camp and practices will have to weave around it. Also, I’m naturally worried about how we will do in general. I’m sure the hours of basic marching and playing on the first week of band camp will get everyone into shape. I expect this year to be filled with even more effort and motivation than the last. I’m looking forward to the new as well as the familiar, and to a great senior year.

Emma

We played at the Trumbull High School graduation on June 23^rd. It was pretty fun. It was my first time.  I play the tuba and got the chance to join the band as an 8^th grader because of it.  I picked a great year to be able to do that because we played in Hollywood, CA in November and the Presidential Inauguration in January.  That was something I will always remember but back to the graduation.

We warmed up for the last time in M- 17 the THSGEMB band room. Trumbull High School will begin a major renovation soon and the band room is one of the first parts to be effected by it.  The graduation was outside which was interesting because the weather has been really rainy in June.  As we walked over, we thought the rain would hold out for another few hours. Not really. As soon as we walked over and got set up, we started playing Pomp and Circumstance. How I hated playing those last 30 measures like 20 times. We had to because there were like 500 plus seniors graduating and the song isn’t that long.   In the middle of us playing the never- ending song, it started to rain. It didn’t pour, but it got us pretty wet. After playing Pomp and Circumstance, we played the National Anthem. After that, some people made some speeches. Then the class president, valedictorian and salutatorian made some speeches about what they have accomplished over the past four years. Finally, the house principals called each student’s name. We cheered for all the seniors who were in the band.  My older brother was a senior and he WAS graduating but I never heard his name called.  Even though I missed it, it was pretty cool to think that the first high school graduation I played was my brothers.

A couple of days after the graduation we played the Barnum Parade in Bridgeport.  The parade was long and lots of little strange things happened. It started off like every other parade, but pretty quickly, with every step I took it was like “must stop and rest now.” About half way through, my thigh started to really hurt. I thought I pulled one of my quad muscles. It hurt a lot and I wanted to drop back but before we stepped off, another tuba player, who wasn’t there, had two mouth pieces; one of them was for the tuba I was using, so another tuba player switched to baritone so I could use his.  I was thinking about how the other tuba player let me play his tuba so I marched on through the pain.   It hurt but I survived.  When we finished the parade, everyone was hot and tired. There was an ice cream man near the band equipment trucks. One problem, I didn’t have any money. Then, my bus got stuck in traffic and we have to wait in the sun for an extra 10 minutes. Then, the people on my bus tried to squeeze on the other bus. As we finally got settled on the other bus, my bus came and we went home. What a parade!

Tyler M

The hope is to soon have some pictures from this fall of all of the hard work and fun the the kids are having up at the High School, or Hillcrest where ever they might be on any given hot summer day.

So keep checking back and we will post what we can when we can, and hope that the weather cooperates.

If you want to see a lot of pictures of this year’s camp then click here, you’ll see Hard Work, Fun, The Sun and even some smiles!

You may even find pictures of your friends and family that you never even knew existed, how cool would that be.

But first total credit has to go to the Band’s official phototgraphers for anything related to pictures of the band. We are lucky enough to have a team of unbelieveable talent when it comes to the taking of pictures of the Band, and every parent of the band knows that as do most local papers who are also lucky enough to be the recipient of their generosity. Being the band photographer for Trumbull could be a full time job with the Band’s schedule and all of the events they are lucky enough to participate in, and that also means the band photographers get to take time away from their day jobs to follow “the band” but this team always manages to fit these events in between their day jobs, so enjoy the pix, take nothing for granted, and be grateful for their generosity.  I know we all are.

Here are a few random samples for you to enjoy

The Boss, more Pix 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and some cardio