The student athletes, athletic and administrative staff aren’t the ones hard at work on campus. The Sulphur Springs High School Wildcat Band members and staff are hitting the practice field in the late July heat, hard at work on music that will allow the musicians to soar into the 2022-2023 season.
Percussionists began attending camp on July 18, with color guard camp following on July 19. Wildcat Band leadership began reporting on July 25. The entire band then reported for summer band camp on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. Friday morning, July 29, instructors and drum majors were out working with small groups on stepping and pacing, sans instruments; the temperature had already risen to about 90 with humidity pushing the heat index even higher, in spite of the much welcome balmy breeze blowing across the practice field.
According to SSISD Director of Bands Spencer Emmert, this year’s half-time show and competition show is designed to combine the fun a DreamWorks production coupled with traditional smooth jazz and classical pieces in a way that leaves the audience feeling as if they are soaring along with the band.
The program is designed both to entertain the audience and promote the quality of performance that will garner high marks at band competitions this fall. The pieces will include John Powell’s flight music from “How To Train Your Dragon,” as well as the version of “Fly Me To the Moon” made popular by Frank Sinatra, as well as operettic pieces by Gioachino Rossini and others.
The fantastical program is designed in a way to allow a few exceptional students, including a drum major and oboist, to showcase their abilities by performing solos within the program. And, expect a surprise prop or two to appear before the program concludes. Overall, if the band steps it up they will soar to new heights of performance which leaves the audience feeling with a flighty feel as if they too are soaring through the night sky.
