Marching band changes seasons

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By Andy Lawell

Senior drum majors Sara Petty and Ryan Everson lead the marching band at during a home game. (Photo by Hailey Hoffman)
Senior drum majors, Sara Petty and Ryan Everson, lead the marching band during a home game. (Photo by Hailey Hoffman)

November marked a month of change for many students as they experienced a change in apparel to go along with the changing weather. For band students, however, November marked something different than a change in apparel: a transition away from formations and football fields and into symphony and stage ensemble.

The final marching band exhibition took place November 29 at Sierra Vista High School, and many high schools attended with their own musical and visual performances, Coronado included. They took fifth place in Clark County, but for the students, it was a very different experience from their usual half-time performances this time around. For many, it was more about what the event symbolized that night—it would be the last time they would perform this year’s pieces as an ensemble, and it would also be the last time the seniors would ever perform in a high school marching band.

“We finished our performance, and I looked around as we were marching off the field; my friends were all emotional and crying about being done, especially the seniors,” Joseph Lawell, a freshman band student, said. “It was actually kind of hard to see those people I look up to so much be so sad about it. I mean, looking around, it kind of hit me that I was done, and that they were done, and it made me pretty emotional, too.”

To the band, it’s not all bad though. As they say goodbye to marching, the students also get to say hello to a bittersweet extra hour of sleep every day, as well as free Tuesday nights; two things they’ve not had since August. And although it’s not marching, there is still an entire semester more of symphonic music to come.

“Sure, we’re probably not going to perform on the field again until next year, and even then it’ll be a completely different program, but it’s not like we’re done for the year or anything,” Edwin Hanna, freshman, said. “We’re actually getting sheets now for our coming symphonic performances this year. And they look awesome, and already sound awesome.”

Band is far from over, despite the weather cooling and the marching season coming to an end. To band students, November was just the beginning.