A March of Excellence

Armed with colorful displays, fast-paced routines and a whirlwind of musical fanfare, area marching bands advanced to San Antonio to do battle in the UIL state marching contest Nov. 3-4. Providing strong regional representation, 11 bands from the Dallas-Fort Worth area competed, including nine in the 5A division and two in the 3A division. The local flavor remained strong, as Argyle earned the 3A state championship and Marcus took the 5A title. Area schools were most dominant in the 5A contest, as six bands from the Metroplex finished in the top 10. L.D. Bell, the 2007 Bands of America national champion, finished second and Coppell took third. Duncanville, Richland and Hebron finished sixth, seventh and 10th, respectively. For Marcus, it was the school's second state title in as many tries. The Marauder Band won the 5A title in 2006, the last time 5A and 3A schools were allowed to advance to the state competition. School classifications trade turns competing for titles, as Class A, 2A and 4A are scheduled to vie for marching championships next year. Borrowing chapters from Greek mythology, the 300-member Marcus band performed its show, Gods and Goddesses, to the approval of the state judges. "The first time we won, it was unexpected, but this one was twice as much so," said Amanda Drinkwater, Marcus band director. "It's the competitive equivalent of lightning striking the same place twice. "We really avoided talking about [another] championship, almost at all costs, because every year is a different band, mindset and group of students," she said. "If we had focused on the outcome more than the performance level, it might have been too much pressure for the band's students, or the staff for that matter, to handle." Preparation that led up to a state championship performance all started in January for the Marauder Band, Drinkwater said. Hours of rehearsal in the summer and throughout the school week this fall was all part of the dedication required for Marcus, as well as all area bands, to experience the level of success that was achieved. Led by drum majors Garrett Smith, Leah Coming and Timothy Fitzgerald, several members of the Marcus band represented the various gods of Greek mythology during the performance. Wearing bright and distinguishing uniforms, the students acted out characteristics of the gods and interacted with other members of the band during portions of the show. "The show was accessible and the general public could enjoy the artistic process of the program and that allowed them to have fun with it," Drinkwater said. "If we're not having fun with all that hard work we put into it, I don't know what we'd do. "The kids were really on board from Day 1," she said. "They just kept getting better with each rehearsal and each performance. They never stopped growing over the course of the season and that's a beautiful thing." Meanwhile, Marcus' neighbor Argyle, located just 12 miles away, was busy earning a gold of its own in the 3A division with its show, titled Exodus. Symbolizing a journey of self-discovery that leads back to appreciation for things previously taken for granted, Argyle's performance was a hit. Winning the UIL state contest is the third of three big accomplishments the Argyle band set out to achieve over the course of the year. Argyle was also named the state's 3A Honor Band after competing in February and was a finalist for the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic as well. Argyle's success at the state marching contest and elsewhere is due to band member's dedication and willingness to tackle challenges head-on, Argyle director Kathy Johnson said. "[The judges at state] told us that we took a lot of incredible chances in a show of such high velocity," said Johnson, whose band had the best composite score in both the preliminaries and finals at the contest in San Antonio. "It was a show in which we did take a lot of chances, and it paid off. "[Argyle's band students] are seasoned to pushing themselves to the highest level of performance that they can attain," she said. "It's not me pushing them. I give them the instruction and they choose to do with it what they will. I'm very pleased that they've chosen to make the most of it." Winning its first 3A state marching title this year after moving up from 2A in 2006, the 106-member Eagle Band has already established a reputation as a high-caliber program. Argyle captured state in 2003 and 2005 as a 2A band, then finished fifth at state its first year in 3A competition. Argyle drum major Brock Smith said that the band's performances the last two years were very strong, but this season was even better. "The mindset of the band was just to make itself better," said Smith, a senior that co-leads the Eagle Band with fellow senior drum major Adrianna Chrestopoulos. "We competed against ourselves and our own standards. It helped us to perform better each time." The band had hopes of regaining its championship form after falling short of the title its first year in 3A, though they knew the process would require much effort. However, it wasn't long into the season before some student leaders started to feel that this year's group had a shot to accomplish its lofty goals. "I think it was the first Friday rehearsal that we marched it on the field during summer band," Chrestopoulos said. "It wasn't perfect and it still needed work, but I remember watching the band and getting really excited. I knew we had a chance to go really far and reach our potential. "It helps when so many in the organization are passionate about what they're doing," she said. Other than Argyle, the Kennedale marching band was the only other 3A school from the area to advance to the state competition. Notable about L.D. Bell's second-place finish in the 5A division is the fact that the Blue Raider Band has finished no worse than second at state since 2000. Bell earned the gold in 2000 and 2004, while taking the silver in 2002 and 2006. The band finished behind Marcus in 2006 as well. A program that has medaled 23 times at UIL or Bands of America (BOA) competition over the past eight years, the Blue Raider Band's show this season was titled The Quest. Led by director Jeremy Earnhart and drum majors Katrina McCutchen, Michael Ball, Caroline Cuirier and Mariah Lopez, Bell's quest for excellence once again rang true. "Our directors tell us at the start of the season that every single band in the state is the state champion," said McCutchen, the head drum major. "But it's the process that they go through throughout the season that determines if they earn that title." Returning to the BOA national competition this season, Bell attempts to defend its title as the top marching band in the nation. The group's experience at the state contest will only prepare the students all the more for the chance to rise to the occasion once again. "Our state performance was one of the best ones we've had this season," McCutchen said. "We came off the field very excited and pumped up by how well we did. "No matter what place we finished, nothing can take away from how well we performed," she said. - ON A SIDE NOTE Marcus and Argyle weren't the only bands to take home state titles this fall. Nolan Catholic High School earned its fifth consecutive Texas Private School Music Educators Association Marching Band state title. Nolan has won the title eight of the last nine years. The band also received a number of additional honors, including Outstanding Horn Line and Outstanding Color Guard. Mary Collins was named Outstanding Drum Major.