By Russell Omo

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On March 24, the MHS Winter Guard, along with other groups from schools across the island, performed in front of an audience in the sixth annual Spring Festival held at the MHS gymnasium. The Spring Festival is an exposition showcase, not only for entertainment purposes but also a way for students to demonstrate the experience they have earned throughout their season.

“I think the showcase went well overall. It’s a good opportunity for us to just kind of bring whoever has drumline or color guard to perform for each other,” explained Fine Arts teacher Derek Kaapana.

The beginning drumline had performed their own arrangement based on the soundtrack from The Legend of Zelda video games. “Everyone knows Legend of Zelda, you know, the video game and it has its compositions. But as far as what we played, our (technicians) and I wrote that from the bottom up,” said drumline coordinator Alumnus Jon Delos Reyes.

The advanced drumline performed their marching routine based on the theme “follow.” “(The theme is about) one person that you can follow, following that person at hard times and then come together and follow as a group,” explained drumline coordinator Alumnus Nick Tuvera.

The Spring Festival was also an opportunity for students to reflect on what they should improve on. For the color guard, despite a positive response from the audience for their performance entitled “Out of the Darkness”, a morbid routine that evokes fear and excitement from the crowd, still see room for improvement. “As a unit, I think we need to work on the performance aspect and that’s drawing the audience in, showing them that we’re in character and we’re here to make them watch more. Our guard is technically very strong in the spinning, the dancing and itís really just drawing the audience in is the weakest part,” expressed Senior Robert Longboy.

The Winter Guard will be competing in the Winter Guard International competition coming in April.