By Danielle Smith
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After months of preparation and hard work, the Trojan Marching Band and Color Guard played played their way to first place in both the sweepstakes and visual technique categories in the Kamehameha Tournament of Bands on Nov. 1, becoming the highest scoring band in their first competition of the season.
“You could feel the tension and the excitement in the air. It’s like a dam getting ready to break loose,” said trumpet section leader Junior Susan Sammis. “As the show starts, you feel a little cold at first, like when you start running and you’re not warmed up yet, but as you get more into it and as you feel more of the music, feel more of the enthusiasm of everyone around you and the combined share of energy, you really start getting more into it.”
During these competitions, all the competing bands are split up into three different classes, depending on their size. “Mililani competes in class triple A, which is the largest size and we compete with Leilehua, Moanalua and Campbell,” said Band Director Derek Kaapana. Sammis added, “Usually we get there and we have quite a while in the holding area cause were a bigger band. So, we stay and we warm up and you know, march a little. We get our bodies warmed up and our instruments warmed up.”
Whether it was their first competition or one of many, the students all faced similar anxiety. “I wish that I would have been less nervous because I kept looking at things as the worst case scenario. Like, ‘Oh no, what happens if I do this or if I do that?’ And that’s kind of what messed me up in the first few minutes, but afterwards I just gave it all,” said color guard member Junior Genesee Greco. Sammis added, “I’m pretty sure everybody gets really nervous, whether it’s their first or fourth competition. But we always try to stress taking that nervous energy and turning it into a powerful performance.”
As the days leading up to the competition passed, band members were expected to work harder during practices. “The first few months, we’re working on figuring out the show, putting it together. Then right when competition season starts, we begin to get into more little detail stuff like certain positions and we’re a little more harsh on how your posture is, what your technique is,” Sammis said.
The band’s hard work and dedication paid off when they received their scores. “The main goal was for the students to walk off the field feeling good about what they had done that night, feeling a sense of accomplishment and a sense that they had made huge strides from the beginning of the season up until this point,” Kaapana said. “Judging by how they looked and how they felt and the feedback from afterwards, I would say they were able to achieve this goal.”
The band felt that their success stemmed from the leadership of Kaapana and the various section leaders. “What really makes me happy and proud of myself is not only hearing that we got first place, but afterwards, when everyone is gathered around and talking, to hear that the section leaders and the seniors and Kaapana are proud of us. Because that’s what feels really good, when you’ve made the people who worked to make this show proud,” said Greco.
Marching band continued to practice and prepare for their second competition, which was held at Kapolei High School on Nov. 8, where they hope to achieve higher scores, as well as to play to the best of their abilities. Although the competition was their last, the band will still be hosting the Trojan Bandfest on Nov. 14.
