The Marching Bulldogs are back on the field this fall, bringing talent, sophistication, and energy to this year’s band theme: “Journey”.
This year’s show music is based off of the rock band Journey. The first song in their show is “Separate Ways” from Journey’s “Frontier” album and is then followed by songs based on different music from around the world, allowing listeners to both hear and experience a “journey.”
The performance is strategically detailed and intricate with everyone on the field playing an important role in the show. The guard members, particularly, take a spiritual journey from evil to good as the show progresses.
“The first song of our show is a ‘Journey’ song and then the rest of the show is about taking a journey around the world, so it is based on music from around the world,” Drum Major Lexi Layton said. “The show is pretty interesting because everyone is doing something different but yet it all ties together.”
After a successful season last year with the Bulldog music department’s collectively winning the prestigious Blue Ribbon Award, the marching band is back and ready to work hard for another successful season.
“Although the accomplishment from last year was really nice, I think we’re always just striving to work hard,” Layton said.” It’s not necessarily the award that makes it important but just the community and staying together.”
The Marching Bulldogs’ continue to build off of their success from last year. Their show this year features several standout solo moments that highlight member’s individual talents.
“My favorite part of the show this year is probably my solo,” Spencer Nobel said. “It’s a lot of fun getting to be the center of attention but also exploring the different styles based on the different cultures, it’s a lot of fun.”
As the band works towards their upcoming competition at Dominion High School on Oct. 11, they also work towards the end of season goal of scoring well at state assessments. The marching band has to work past difficult aspects of this year’s performance in order to improve and perform to their highest potential.
“We always have a competition that we are preparing for every Saturday but usually in the back of our minds we are always thinking about the state assessment at the end of the year, that is our primary goal,” junior Jake Mucci said. “The show is pretty challenging this year because it is a lot longer and the range, especially for trumpets, is a lot higher.”
Performing their show is no easy feat. In addition to competitions on weekends and a state assessment at the end of each season, the Marching Bulldogs continue to perform their difficult show at home football games, bringing energy and school spirit to every performance.
“Performing at football games is usually more fun because I don’t put as much pressure on myself because we aren’t getting scored, but it is still good for feedback and getting to see how we are doing,” junior Christian Scott said. “At football games we also get to play the national anthem and we get to play in the stands. It’s a fun experience.”
With a promising season ahead, the Bulldogs are ready to march their way to success along their own “journey”–one that hopefully ends this fall with superior ratings at state assessment.
“One of my favorite parts about performing is having an audience and getting to perform and show off what we have been working on since the summer,” junior Nikki Yarbrough said.
