Stepping up to expectant eyes, senior Alexis Arenas prepares to lead the band in competition.
“Being a drum major, I set the tempo for the band and make sure no one drags,” Arenas said.
On Oct. 27, the Wildcat marching band competed in the Northwest Arkansas Invitational in Siloam Springs Bands from all over Northwest Arkansas competed to get the first place trophy. The Wildcats were able to snatch first place, sliding past the Berryville Bobcats who took second. The band preformed a stellar show, wowing not only Har-Ber fans, but many other school fans as well
“Winning first in the competition was really cool; just knowing that we are up there with other outstanding bands,” Arenas said.
The Wildcats finished with a final score of 92.33, while Berryville finished close behind with a score of 91.92. The main areas judged were music, visual, general effect, percussion, and auxiliary (color guard). Junior Kylei Caballero is a member of the color guard team and was very happy to win.
“We put in many hours of work and effort toward the show,” Caballero said. “It’s nice to see it pay off.”
The Wildcat band worked hard to prepare for the competition and in the end, the band was rewarded handsomely. Hours and hours of blood, sweat, and tears went into practicing and learning the show for the competition. Head Band Director Jeremy Ford, knows the entire band strives to be perfect.
“We never reach perfect, but on the journey we do reach excellence,” Mr. Ford said.
The ability to play an instrument well isn’t the only component to a great band; chemistry is also a big key. In order to have a dominant performance, the band members must work together to produce an amazing sound and show.
“Our band is like any family,” Mr. Ford said. “We may fight and argue some, but we get over it because we love one another.”