Trumbull High School Band

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

In what they hope will become an annual tradition, the students of the Trumbull High School Golden Eagle Marching Band are collaborating once again with ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) to collect new and gently used coats for donation to local charities.

The coat drive is part of GMA’s national campaign and will benefit local organizations such as the Bridgeport Rescue Mission. In addition to coats, new and gently used hats, gloves, mittens and scarves will also be accepted.

Donations can be made at various drop-off locations around Trumbull, including Town Hall, the main library, Stop and Shop, Porricelli’s, and various churches. Most Trumbull public schools will also be accepting donations and flyers will be sent home with students. The deadline for donations is at noon on Wednesday, November 25.

Last December, the band presented nearly 3,500 coats during a live broadcast of Good Morning America from Town Hall. The students have welcomed the opportunity to take on this service project as their way of thanking the people of Trumbull for their generous support of the band throughout the year. The Golden Eagles ask for everyone’s help again this year as they seek to spread the warmth this holiday season.

More information on the GMA coat drive may be found at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/WarmCoats/. Information about the THS Golden Eagle Marching Band may be found at their website, http://www.thsgembcorp.com.

Mother Nature continued to have fun with THSGEMB this past Saturday with a double dose of tumultuous rains. It seems Saturday and rain are becoming synonymous. The band had two MAC competitions scheduled for that day, one in Stamford and the other in Shelton. The Stamford competition went on as scheduled outdoors in the afternoon. No sooner did the band step on the field than the skies opened up and it poured on them. And yet, in true THSGEMB fashion, the students played on as if it were a beautiful sunny day, emulating the bands motto of pride, attitude and concentration. The Shelton competition didn’t fare as well and was moved indoors. The standstill performance the band put on that night, only further proved what talented musicians and color guard the band is comprised of. This Friday night, THSGEMB will play at home for the Trumbull High School Varsity football game and on Saturday will compete in MAC competition at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, unless of course Mother Nature has other plans.

Trumbull High School is located at 72 Strobel Road, Trumbull. Directions and performance schedules for the Jonathan Law competition can be found at www.musicalartsconference.com

Not sure what you would like to do this weekend? This Saturday, October 24th, the THSGEMB will compete in two MAC (Musical Arts Conference) shows. Come see the band WFSB Channel 3 News named their Band of thet Week last week! 

The band’s first stop will be at Stamford High School. This will be a day show with seven bands competing. In addition, two high schools and one college band will be performing in exhibition. The Golden Eagle Marching Band is scheduled to perform at 3:45. This is a great opportunity for those of us who never get to see our band perform in the daylight!

The band’s next stop will be Shelton High School. Shelton is hosting an evening show with fourteen bands in attendance. The Golden Eagle Marching band is scheduled to perform at 9:15. Both shows have a terrific line up, so come to one or better yet come to both to cheer for THSGEMB and don’t forget to wear your gold and black! Directions and schedules for both venues can be found at Musicalartsconference.com

This past weekend the band performed at the USSBA (United States Scholastic Band Assoc). Cheshire High School hosted this show where 20 bands throughout the state of CT competed. Trumbull won first place in its class and outscored all 19 of the other bands that competed. The USSBA conference is not affiliated with MAC (Musical Arts Conference),  the conference the band is usually competes in.  They choose to compete in USSBA last week because it was a great opportunity for the band to be judged by a different group of judges who have not yet seen their show for the season. It also allowed us parents the opportunity to see some wonderful performances from marching bands from all over CT that we typically do not get a chance to see, and it was a treat.  They were terrific and we enjoyed watching every moment of their performances.

Our band’s show looked GREAT!! The song selections for “RePlay” are very strong, powerful and emotional. The color guard uniforms had arrived the week before and this was this first show they were able to wear them. They looked amazing! The crowd cheered when Trumbull took to the field. Everyone in the stands was quiet as the band performed their warm up song “PAN”. I heard comments from parents who could not believe how large the guard was. One parent was actually counting the number of girls in the guard. Everyone was just cheering when the girls tossed their rifles and caught them at the same time without missing a beat.  The band was amazing.  The kids marched all over the field in fabulous formations.  It was quite an evening. 
This Saturday the band is headed to Ramsey High School in Ramsey, NJ to compete in MAC competition. This is a day show and twelve bands are scheduled to perform. Trumbull will compete at 4:15pm.  Think sun! 

B.W.

Saturday, the rest of the seniors and I had our last Classic – rather, we should have. The Trumbull Classic is our home show, and 20 bands were supposed to perform. However, the rain was so intense that it had to be canceled. The Classic is a very important night for seniors – each senior gets to escort a band with one or two other seniors, and we all get our names called after our exhibition performance in recognition of the years we have dedicated to the band. Also, the day before the Classic, it is a tradition that the seniors decorate the band room. Since Trumbull goes on last, we have plenty of time to enjoy the other bands before we need to warm up.

Since 2005, the eighth graders from the two Trumbull middle schools have come together every year to perform the Star Spangled Banner as the opening to the Classic. I remember being the first class to do this. I wanted to join the band more than anything. When I saw the Trumbull marching band for the first time at the 2005 Classic, I knew that I was going to join. Their drill and music were both so exciting, and they continue to be. I certainly have many other precious memories from the other three classics I have been too; the Classic is my favorite show next to Championships, of course. This year, only a few bands were able to perform before it began to pour. The entire band was trapped in the school for a few hours, waiting to hear what would happen. When we found out it was canceled, many were upset, especially the seniors. However, I am satisfied in knowing that this is not truly my last Classic. I will be at the Classic for years to come, escorting the Trumbull band with the other alumni.

Emma

Of all the many lessons our children learn from the experience of being part of the marching band, perhaps the most difficult one is disappointment. Our kids have learned to weather the ups and downs of competition results from week to week. They have even faced the very tough loss of a hard-fought championship. Tonight, disappointment was an uninvited guest once more when torrential rain, lightning and yes, even a tornado warning, forced the cancellation of our annual home competition.
The rain began as the first two or three bands took the field in what is typically the largest Musical Arts Conference competition of the year, the Trumbull High School “Classic.” These Class I bands stoically performed their shows as the rain fell harder and harder, even as claps of thunder offered an unwelcome addition to their music.
Eventually, a rain delay was called. This was followed by an immediate evacuation of everyone on the field as soon as a tornado warning was issued for the area. Parents and spectators huddled in interior hallways of Trumbull High School hoping that the storm would pass so that they could enjoy a night of music and marching.
Yet it was not to be. There was no let-up in the storms nor in the lightning. The field was under water. The Trumbull Classic would have to wait another year.
Yes, there were parents who poured their heart and soul into preparing a first-class event: from organizing volunteers to buying and preparing food. But the most crestfallen group was undoubtedly our seniors, the students who had spent countless hours over the past four years, preparing for this, their special night. Most never had the honor they had earned of leading our guest bands onto the field. They didn’t have the opportunity to perform their show for their hometown crowd and scores of visiting alumni. They did not have the chance to hear their names as they were being called forward to be recognized for their four years of dedication to the activity that means the most to them.
Disappointment is a difficult lesson, but our kids are well-equipped to handle it. They do so by leaning on one another, enjoying the fellowship of working together towards a common goal. These seniors may not have had the chance to shine on their special night. But it was certainly an evening that won’t soon be forgotten. And they are still our shining stars, even on a stormy night.
Elena Tallian