The Golden Sandie Band continued their Region Marching Contest tradition of earning a Division I, the highest ranking given on Oct. 19. They will compete at the Area Marching Contest on Oct. 26 for a chance to advance to the State Competition. This year’s marching show is “Rhapsody: Inspiration Begins with a Spark”.
Directors Robert Hinds, Scott Myers and Dakota Lancaster worked hard designing this year’s marching band show which contains the songs “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin and “Hungarian Rhapsody” by Franz Liszt. Featured soloist and ensemble members consist of Ella Mullin, Piper Laur, Emma Mullin, Carlos Pacheco, Seth Cearly, Lillean Salazar and Emma Palmater. The field design and music composition could give the band an edge at Area.
“We hope to make finals at Area and give ourselves a shot at advancing to the State Competition,” Hinds said.
The band spent mornings and some afternoons to get the halftime show clean and used the skills they learned last year to propel them this year.
“I’d say we are well ahead, in our preparations, compared to where we were a year ago,” Myers said.
Hopes seem to arise now more than ever at the chance of advancing to State, and with the current state of the band, everyone has high expectations.
“Each practice and performance is always a work in progress, but if everyone is moving together, then the success we seek will take care of itself,” Lancaster said.
In previous years, worries seem to take precedence over confidence, but this year the main concern consists of the weather not cooperating.
“A run of bad weather could really set us back,” Myers said. “Unfortunately, there’s no way to predict or prevent that when you’re planning your show, so you build some cushion into your schedule and hope for the best.”
Due to last year’s assistant director, Sara Rhynes, stepping down, the band now has Lancaster to step in as assistant director.
“The atmosphere from y’all was extremely welcoming and helpful, and you all have shown me what it means to be a part of the Sandie Band,” Lancaster said.
