The Friendswood High School marching band is headed to state for the fifth time in 10 years.
The band will travel to San Antonio today to compete against 26 other Class 4A bands for the gold medal, which thus far has eluded the acclaimed band. The band took fourth place at the state competition in 2007, second place in 2005 and 2003, and 14th place in 2001.
This year’s state contest features 1A, 2A and 4A schools; 3A and 5A schools will compete in next year’s state championship. Friendswood High School’s marching band is the only one in Galveston County this year to advance to state.
This year, the marching band hopes to impress state judges with its performance of a composition written for the Friendswood band, head band director Greg Dick said.
The composition combines themes from American composer Samuel Barber’s work, including his famous “Adagio for Strings,” Dick said. The marching band holds the audience’s attention by keeping the show fast paced and visually interesting: The color guard changes flags for each song and incorporates modern dance.
With 250 members in the band and color guard, Friendswood’s is one of the larger bands among 4A schools, Dick said. The high school band is successful because Friendswood starts recruiting students as early as sixth grade, he said. Friendswood students spend years learning to play instruments and perform. By the time those students reach high school, they know how to play, march and keep an audience entertained, Dick said.
“Kids come into the program, and they’re expected to do well because that’s what we’ve done in the past,” he said.
The students also have great support from administrators, parents and band staff, Dick said.
Other Success Stories
Although Texas City High School’s marching band did not advance to state, the band performed better in the regional competition than it had in years, district spokeswoman Melissa Tortorici said. The district hired Joseph Figarell to fill the new position of director of performing and visual arts and charged him, in part, with bolstering the district’s dwindling marching band.
The district hired a new high school marching band director, Brian Moreno, to revamp the band’s style and sound. Moreno made it a goal to make the band more disciplined and improve the students’ sound and marching style.
The band earned a II, the second highest score possible at the regional competition at the Dickinson public school district’s Sam Vitanza Stadium on Oct. 20.
The marching band at Dickinson High School, a 5A school, could not advance to state this year because the competition this year is reserved for 1A, 2A and 4A schools. However, the band earned the highest scores possible in the regional competition. The band placed in marching competitions across the state. It earning the award for Best Overall Band at the Galena Park Marching Contest in early October.
The marching bands at Clear Lake, Clear Brook and Clear Creek high schools also earned the highest scores possible at the regional competition.
New Start
The Galveston school district also created a director of fine arts position to improve Ball High School’s shrinking marching band, but the band continues to struggle in competitions. The band earned a score of IV, the lowest given, at the regional competition, but it was the first time the band had performed in the University Interscholastic League competition since 2006, Stephen Duncan, director of fine arts, said.
The school skipped the marching competition last year because Hurricane Ike disrupted school for a month. The band skipped in 2007 because it was too small. In 2006, the band earned a IV.
“This is not quite what we were hoping for, but, as you know, our students have come a long, long way,” Duncan said. “I am extremely proud of how hard they worked and how far they have come. While we did not get to the level we wanted to achieve this year, we will be getting there.”
The marching band has received attention from Galveston residents and other band directors who have noticed the changes in the program, he said. People have sent letters and e-mails to the district praising the improvements in the band, Duncan said.
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Regional Competition
Earned a I: Clear Lake, Clear Brook, Clear Creek, Dickinson and Friendswood high schools
Earned a II: Clear Springs, Hitchcock, Santa Fe and Texas City high schools
Earned a IV: Ball High School
* No information was available for La Marque High School.
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At A Glance
WHAT: Friendswood High School Marching Band performs at state championship
WHEN: 10:45 a.m. Tuesday
WHERE: Alamodome in San Antonio
Details: Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students for the preliminary competition and the finals. An adult one-day pass ticket is available for $25.
