Why can I say this? Because I watched most of this same core of students perform at a level of talent and energy that I personally had never seen from this year’s fall THS Golden Eagle Marching Band, of which the Winter Guard draws many of its competitors from. I had the pleasure of watching a good dozen shows from the fall marching band season and I was struck at how while I should have been watching my “son playing in the band,” I just could not take my eyes off of what the guard component was doing out there on the field. Week after week, they improved to the point that they actually scored a perfect score in their area of expertise in the Fall Championship competition at Kennedy Stadium.

A perfect score! I wish I could say I was surprised, but I wasn’t. Even my wife had to admit that as much fun as it had been in years past to look for students we knew on the field, that it was just plain impossible to take ones eyes off of the Guard. Because they were mesmerizing, they were great! The guard was a constant, a well oiled machine within a band that was peaking at the end of the season. The Guard component did things that other schools could only dream of, and on a regular basis they were firing on all cylinders week after week, only getting stronger and gaining their confidence. Well Fall, turns into Winter and with it comes Winter Guard and Winter Percussion for the Trumbull Gold Eagle Band, in whatever form the season requires of the students.

I am going to end this by remembering back to one of the recap articles from the WGI tournament in Dayton last March or April timeframe and I recall the 2009 WGI tournament write-ups from Dayton which gave accolades to all of the talented schools who performed well in Dayton, and one of their yearly responsibilities is to look at all of the schools from the presnt year and project a performance and a rank a year away. Which frankly is a very tough thing to do these days given all of the variables that can enter a school’s music program over the course of just one year! But the WGI tried to sum up what schools were rising starts and what schools to watch out for in 2010. Guess which school was listed in the group as one of the schools to watch out for this winter? I am not telling, but you can go look for yourself at wgi.org

Come out and watch these students, you will be awed, and you won’t be disappointed, and no they don’t even have to be your children for you to appreciate their practice and talent.

Mark

While every Classic is very special, this one was to be very special for our family: our high school sophomore son was to perform with Trumbull to be followed our college sophomore son performing with the 385 member University of Massachusetts (Amherst) Minuteman Marching Band. Trust me: that combination is very, very, rare and precious.

Mostly I am deeply sad for our senior bandos and guardos. By my count, the typical senior student has practiced or performed over 925 hours by now (with more hours ahead for this year). This doesn’t include the time that many spend in our winter programs.

As they apply for colleges, they’ll soon find out that this dedication pays off: college admissions officers will tell them that committing themselves to something like marching band for four years in high school is well regarded because it is good indicator of their ability to stay with a rigorous program in college.

For most if not all of these seniors, that doesn’t help with their immediate disappointment. They asked for little: a chance to perform for their hometown crowd and hear their name read. Unfortunately, the weather (decisively) wouldn’t allow it.

I am positive we will find a “second-best” way of honoring our these dedicated seniors. I hope that when it is announced and you hear about it, you’ll come and given them this second chance at shining. I can promise you that your efforts will be well rewarded.

Yes, it was the 385 member UMass band that, like most of the other bands, did not get to perform.

And it was awesome to see all 385 of them bed down in the Trumbull High School gym. It was like an army setting up camp.

UMass practiced at THS this morning (Sunday). They were awesome.

If you want to see our show and not travel far, please come to THS’s football game this Friday. Like UMass, they are awesome!

(Proud dad with a son in both THSGEMB and UMass Minuteman Marching Band).

This is from my proud dad role as: Mark DeAngelis

I found myself in total agreement with this post by Elena, and at the same time wondering how we still find the time and the place to honor the seniors and Mr. Horton and provide the level of attention and honor that should have been paid during a well planned Intermission. We must find a way to do that still. I would be lying if I told you I am over the Preview and Get-Together that we as parents were supposed to have before the West Haven Show that never happened due to inclement weather. In case we need any reminders the weather does not have feelings for us or our events but all of us involved do have feelings and some of us need to vent. So I invite you to vent here – please!

Disappointment is not easy to get over, and I can think of thousands of us who are disappointed as we must remember that all of those bands that came and played, or planned to come are likely disappointed too. Everyone I met last night and I met bands and parents from a dozen towns – they all looked eagerly towards our classic and for a good reason. We throw a good party and everyone knows it.

Our character is built in many ways from how we channel that disappointment and frustration. “Lessons Learned” are not always from the positive experiences but sometimes they come from these little blips on the radar of life that come from a thunderstorm or tornado that pop up and ruin our night, but should not do anything to the greater picture of our season.

So how do we now find a way to honor the seniors and Mr. Horton in a fitting manner, How do we “Do Over” Saturday’s Intermission from “Our Classic” at a different venue, and give the seniors and Mr. Horton the honor and awards that they both deserve for years of exceptional memories? I won’t allow every party for us to be rained out without a fight.

Mark DeAngelis

Here are the scores for class 5 from our first show of the year

3rd place: Port Chester HS – 70.60
2nd place: New Milford HS – 71.55
1st place: THSGEMB – 75.00

From an fans perepective the show looked challenging from both a drill and visual standpoint, as well as musically. Seeing is believing, There was so much movement that most of us parents in the stands had no idea where to look next, except to try and find our own children.

Good Luck with that! What a great first showing, It is hard to believe that in a couple of months one will look back at this show and not even believe the difference. Next up, a week off and then we’re off to Brien McMahon who has moved up to Class 5 themselves this year. Countdown to our own Classic is under three weeks.

I can not even think now of how proud it must be to be a parent of one of those brave soles who are out there on the field with nothing to guard them with except maybe a flag or a flute. I could not do that, I don’t know how those kids can do that but I sure am glad that they are out there and not me. So brave, so focused, so young and confident at the same time. What we see may not be perfect yet, but it will only get better, week after week and year after year.

I get chills when I hear these bands and there is no denying that there are different levels of skill out there. Different commitments, different teachers, but every one of them comes off the field and walk by what must feel like a million parents and they all have their heads held high, their tubas held high, some smiles are pasted on and some smiles are genuine because they know that their band just pulled off something good. Or maybe they are smiling because they know the best part of their show hasn’t been introduced yet because it isn’t ready yet.

I think it is just the beginning of what did they call it before ‘a wild ride’ yes I am sure it will be wild for many of us. Anybody who has watched these events for more than a year now knows the shows evolve and the kids only get better and better. This past week may be their least organized week of the year because it is still early or maybe not, but what the kids showed the fans this past week was where they are now, not in November, not in October but the first show of their year.

Put it in perspective, this was like watching Mariano Riviera in April and not in October. Yes I said kids before and not students or teenagers which they also are, because that is exactly what they are, our kids, our future and they are facing it head on and smiling every one of them that I noticed. Maybe the best lessons learned are at school for some, but I can’t help thinking that these lessons after school and on weekends must be darn good ones too.

Wow,
Tony