WHS Marching Band Swinging with the Pack

WHS Lions Pride Original Story:

by Annie Moreno

The Walkersville High School marching band in the midst of their season, plays to win, entertain, and have a blast.

Tuba player Antoinette Aburto says “The band is like a family. We are always there for each other. We are like brothers and sisters, and always care about each other. Aburto classifies marching band as “A dangerous sport, and things can happen. You have to carry up to 45 pound instruments, and you have to commit your time.”

Drum major Robert Krantz says “I make the band run laps and do pushups.”

Color guard Brianna Wilson says “The sections that mess up do pushups together.”

Trumpet player Gabe Hernandez says “To be in marching band you have to have a lot of stamina.”

Krantz says that as drum major, his job is to “Lead the warm-ups, give them constructive criticism, and push them to their fullest potential.” Krantz says for the warm-ups they “stretch and run.” Krantz conducts the band during football games. He says “To be drum major you need to be able to follow certain patterns and time signatures.” In competitions, Krantz plays the baritone.

Wilson says that to be color guard “you have to have good hand-eye coordination, a dance background, and you need to be able to work out.”  Color guarding requires strengthening the arm muscles, and developing endurance. Wilson says, “You have to be able to run around the field with the flag for long periods of time.”

Aburto says that the bands routine this year is called “Swinging with the Pack.”  It is a jazz routine.  Teacher Windy Schmidt thought that jazz would be good this year because of the size of the band.

Hernandez says “My favorite song in the band is called “Fly Me to the Moon.’ It is so smooth and relaxing.” Aburto shares that the way that they march and stay together is “in basic blocks by instruments; we click the tempo, and always start off with our left foot.”

The band participates in competitive competitions, and has had three this year. They went from a score of 72 to a score of 76. In a competition there are a variety of judges. There are judges on the field, judges in the booth, color guard judges, percussion judges, and individual music judges. There are five judges in each section. Wilson says “Mrs. Schmidt says if the judges are in the way in the field just run them over.”