Band Day blends cartoon, classical tunes

Students from Wayne County’s five public high schools are preparing a wide range of music and intricate steps for Indiana State Fair Band Day on Friday, Aug. 7.

Information about how to watch or listen to Band Day performances can be found on Page 25.

Western Wayne News will publish contest coverage in its Aug. 12 edition.

Here’s a summary of each band’s show.

Lincoln

Lincoln students are playing a different type of show this year, blending a familiar cartoon theme song with a legendary rock band hit.

The Golden Eagles’ show, “Zoinks!,” blends “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?” and KISS’ “I Was Made for Loving You.” KISS collaborated with “Scooby-Doo” on an animated special.

Wind tech Jake Fost said the 10 members are encouraged to just have fun and play well. Their production is less of a themed show than in previous years.

Rising senior sousaphone Dustin Irwin said he’s grateful for his band experience, despite summer heat.

“It’s good to push through it,” Irwin said. “You push past your limits. It’s a good way to get better.”

Rising sophomore Kerry Melerowicz is pleased with the band’s “awesome teamwork.” He’s learned to play every concert band instrument and plans to pursue a music career with potential goals of becoming a band director or playing in the Army Field Band.

Rising sophomore Triston Pass described his first band contest on a football field, Centerville’s Archway Classic, as “a 10 out of 10,” and said the group performed fabulously despite a forgotten power cable and drumsticks.

Krista Payne, whose daughter Bailey plays percussion, said she loves the heart of the band that continues no matter what.

Heather Spencer, whose daughter Audrey is a guard member, is glad to see students working hard and spending so much time together in the summer.

“All 10 kids are all of our kids,” Spencer said.

Hagerstown

Some bands are using the experience of their recent graduates. Trumpeters Jackson Crawford and Braydon Sanders, both super seniors, said they’re enjoying their last chance to play with the Golden Tigers.

Sanders said he considers the band family and he’s enjoying “being able to build a culture you’re proud of and being able to say you did everything you can.”

Deyvinni Horner, a rising junior Tigerette, said she’s excited to spend the summer with some of her best friends performing “Bad Moon Rising: Strange Tales from the Hills,” which is different from what audiences usually see.

Director Kendra Sanders describes the show as “Appalachia at night.” Inspiration came from her family’s rural Kentucky heritage and the stories and folk tales she heard from her grandparents.

She’s glad students have the opportunity to learn about her Appalachian life and she enjoys sharing her family history with them.

It pairs folk song “Wayfaring Stranger” with the “Stranger Things” TV theme, “The Sinister Minister” by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising” and “Blackheart” from a PlayStation 4 commercial.

Rising senior Mackenzie Bane said the color guard is challenged not only on the movements but making sure their facial expressions help tell the story. She said the two new middle schoolers in the color guard are doing great, which shows the impact band leaders and directors make.

Northeastern

The Marching Knights are performing “The Edge of Darkness.” The students’ shirts also include a subtitle: “Light can be found in darkness.”

Rising freshmen Addison Davis and Hosanna Cameron, who both play flute, said they like spending time with their friends and learning new music.

Davis said she really likes this year’s music, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, and said learning it has been “tough but you get used to it.” The show also includes some original music derived from the legendary composers’ works to blend the two pieces.

Cameron said summer band efforts are “really worth it.”

New director Reid Knuth said the Marching Knights got off to a fast start this summer and he’s enjoying leading his first Indiana track show.

“They’re a great group of kids,” Knuth said.

Centerville

Director Chris Glover said he’s really proud of his students who’ve worked hard and handled themselves very well despite high temperatures.

Rising senior Kyleigh Thompson said she appreciates the band staff, student and booster leadership.

“I love how we get to work together as a team,” Thompson said. “It makes it fun but we also make sure we work hard.”

Centerville’s “Rocky Road” show mixes the “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” soundtrack, Tchaikovsky’s “The Waltz of the Snowflakes” and “A Million Dreams” from “The Greatest Showman.”

Despite being a young band, rising senior baritone Conner Scheer said the Blue Regiment has developed its skills very quickly.

Rising senior Alaina Montgomery said she enjoys shared experiences with fellow band members, and that band is more than just performing on the field.

Richmond

The 120 Marching Red Devils are focused on providing an intriguing show that mixes songs from various James Bond spy movies in a casino setting. The Devilettes are dressed as elegant Bond girls.

“From Richmond With Love” pays homage to the iconic theme song, plus “The Hoverboat Chase,” “Welcome to Cuba” and “No Time to Die” with vocal soloist Elise Kretchman. Director Dan Merkamp called Kretchman “a really great singer.”

Merkamp said this year’s band includes a lot of seniors and many brand-new members.

“It’s a wider chasm of experience and abilities than we usually have, which creates an interesting set of challenges,” he said.

Merkamp said student leaders are taking a lot of ownership and making rehearsals fun, with Mark Simmons and Ben Smith doing much of the instruction while Merkamp works more behind the scenes.

Rising junior saxophonist Kyla Rogan said she especially likes band because she enjoys interacting with new people and learning about everyone. Her favorite portion of the show is “No Time to Die.”

Rising senior band captain and trumpeter Brady Newton said this year’s spy show is unique for Richmond.

“You get to hear the musical inputs collide together and make it beautiful and complete,” Newton said.

Newton said being captain is challenging because it’s hard to make everyone happy and run everything smoothly. However, he’s leaning on his own band experiences and what he was taught, and he’s now learning while teaching.

“Standing in front of the entire band and getting to coach them is a surreal feeling,” Newton said.

Golden Tigers shine at Anderson competition

Bands prepare for Friday’s state fair

High school bands continued honing shows throughout the weekend before Indiana State Fair Band Day.

Hagerstown led area schools at the Anderson Tartan Tournament of Bands on Friday, July 31, with a fifth-place finish behind Spirit of Muncie, Anderson, Kokomo and Jay County.

Other area finishes included Tri (11th), Monroe Central (13th), Henry County (21st) and Randolph Southern (22nd).

Saturday’s Drums at Winchester contest became an indoor standstill event because of rain, so no scores or placings were announced. Several schools withdrew, but Northeastern, Lincoln, Centerville, Randolph Southern, Winchester, Monroe Central and Henry County were on the revised schedule.

Next events

Thursday, Aug. 6: Lincoln community performance, 6 p.m., gym or football field, 205 E. Parkway Drive, Cambridge City. Free admission; concession sales at 5 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 7: Indiana State Fair, 9 a.m., Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis. Field includes Winchester, 10:03 a.m.; Centerville, 11:06 a.m.; Randolph Southern, 11:42 a.m.; Hagerstown, 1:09 p.m.; Richmond, 1:36 p.m.; Lincoln, 2:30 p.m.; Northeastern, 2:48 p.m.; Tri, 2:57 p.m.; and Henry County, 3:15 p.m. The 4 p.m. awards determine qualifiers for the 8 p.m. finals. Tickets at indianastatefair.com/p/entertainment1/hoosier-lottery-grandstand. Radio stations ESPN Radio WKBV 1490AM/100.9FM and Star 98.3 WZZY will broadcast live and at todaysmusicmix.com. Some results will be available online at WesternWayneNews.com, with full coverage in the Aug. 12 edition.