With a resurgence in membership, the 2015-2016 Bridgeport High School Marching Band will note a big year for a couple of different reasons.

 

For the first time, the band will host the BHS Cavalcade of Bands the afternoon of Oct. 10 at Wayne Jamison Field, during which time about a dozen high school bands from throughout West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania will be adjudicated on site. The Alderson-Broaddus College Marching Band will serve as honor band and provide an exhibition performance. 

 

In December, the BHS Marching Band will travel to Orlando, Fla. Where it will be featured in a performance at Disney World. The band previously auditioned and was accepted for the honor, as were the school’s jazz band and show choir. All three groups will be performing, said Band Director Chris Hayslette. The young musicians will be in Orlando Dec. 10 through 13.

 

The nearly 80-member BHS Marching Band is under the direction of Drum Major Halee Knight, who this summer participated in the drum major course of study at the WVU Mountaineer Music Leadership Academy. During late-July and early-August, she worked with the band in learning, practicing and perfecting the 2015 football halftime field show. To lay down the beat before the rest of the band came on board, the BHS Drum Line got a jumpstart on the season, holding rehearsals a week prior to the two-week band camp.

 

“We warm up kind of differently than the rest of the band does and there’s a lot of basic rudiments and fundamentals we have to instill so they can perform well,” said Michael Burge, volunteer percussion instructor. “Also, the cadences are a big thing and once the band starts focusing mostly on show tunes and drills, there’s no opportunity to work so much with cadences.”

 

This year, the band is playing the “X1” cadence as well one called “Energizer.” Written by Percussion Coordinator Josh Chiado, that cadence will serve as the main parade cadence.

 

 This year’s field show is titled “Pyramids of Egypt,” a three-part original composition, Hayslette said.

 

“It’s one of those pieces that is designed to give you visions of the pyramids being built,” he said. “It’s more of a competition type of show than what we’ve done the past couple of years. We took a break from that and did some pop stuff like Elton John and we kind of felt it was time to get back into a competitive-type show.”

 

Knight said she finds the show interesting, energetic and very beautiful. She’s had her eye on becoming the unit’s student leader for some time and said her number one priority is the student musicians.

 

“What matters to me the most is my group; their motivation, excitement to start new projects and how they always make every challenge as fun as it could possibly be,” she said.

 

In addition to a recent project through Schwan's, members of the BHS Marching Band will be participating in various fundraisers to support the upcoming Disney trip. Presently under way is a fruit sale through Florida Indian River Groves and a jam and jelly sale through West Virginia Fruit and Berry. As always, members appreciate the community’s support, said BHS Band Booster President Mike Hess. 

 

Editor's Note: Photo by Jeff Toquinto taken at last week's season opener at Buckhannon-Upshur.