Mt. Nebo Warmups

I love to take photos of the band warming up at the Nebo competition.  Mr. Beach spreads them out on this gorgeous green soccer field behind the stadium and their uniforms always look so sharp there.  Gorgeous.  I only wish I had a better camera or a cool fisheye lens.

Hero Pose

During warm ups and right before the show at Mt. Nebo, Mr. Beach explained to the hornline that the way you carry your body can effect your physiology and mindset. He said that studies have shown the when a person stands in a "Hero Pose" a la Superman that their stress levels go down, their heart and breathing become stronger, and their mind is clearer. He asked the band to hold the pose that they are in at the very end of the show for 2 minutes. As they did so, he said things like, "Feel your self becoming more focused. You are stronger! You are taller! You are energized!" Here is too confident energy! Everyone should stand like a hero more often!

Traditions Too!

This trip I got to spend my bus time with the Brass.  On the way down I was remarking on how quiet of a group they are.  Really.  Just low key folks.  I thought that perhaps I wouldn't have much to write about except for that.  I wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that there are only 4 girls on this bus. hmmmmmm.
They didn't disappoint me, however, when it came to my favorite pre-competition tradition: singing the run through.  The Brass do that with GUSTO! and even sneak in someone doing the Tribal Call drumbeat so that they can keep in time with their visuals and their own tribal noises. 

I caught a picture of them at the end of sectional warm ups doing what I thought would be a giant hands in the center cheer.  It turned into some kind of noisy hand slapping and finger grabbing thing that reminded me of the end of a hand stacking game when it all turns to chaos and no one can tell whose hands is on top in the blur of motion.  It definitely looked like a way to stay loose.
After the performance, however, I got to witness the eating of the "pig."  An entire summer sausage is skinned alive and passed from one brass to another as the bus chants "Eat the pig! Eat the Pig" The sad little piggie is dispatch quite quickly.  The trumpets, who always sit in the back seats, are the last to get a stab at the beast.  They are so excited by that time that they cannot wait for the little plastic knife and just tear into the thing with their teeth.

I was very intrigued when Conner, the Brass captain, politely asked the bus driver if he might borrow the bus sound system for a few minutes.  He then treated the bus with the next installment of a novella that he is writing about the adventures of the Brass as they adventure in search of a fabled horn against their marching foes.  Apparently this is something that the entire bus has been looking forward to since the last cliff hanger episode was read aloud.  They were enthralled as they listened to a master storyteller weave his tale, incorporating the distorted names of their numbers into the heroic adventure.

Let's Get Peppy

Football games would not be the same without the pep band.  They get the crowd excited, help the cheerleaders with their cheers, and make the scores feel even more like a celebration.  Last Friday night's game was no exception.  I'm sure, however, that the crowd was not fully aware of how difficult it is to play an instrument with metal keys on such a cold night.  Brrrrrrr!   The band was very chilly but managed to keep the crowd's and their own attitudes positive and helped the Sky View team with their win!  Go Bobcats!!

Staffers

Three cheers for out amazing, talented, and very hardworking staff!!  Y'all are amazing!

Drum Majors

Drum Majors play a very important role for the band.  They are crucial to helping the band keep time as the conduct the music in the show and for parades.  They manage the set up break down of the field and are the band directors chief assistants. They are given leadership roles for band functions.
Leading is an incredibly important but also difficult job as it is physically demanding.  I can't imagine how toned their biceps are!  And it takes a lot of courage to climb that conductors tower! They, with the color guard captains are our band's representatives in award retreats, receiving any award honors and greeting and congratulating other bands in their accomplishments. We appreciate the efforts of our 2013 Drum Majors, Christian Berger, Jaden Beck, and Karissa Peck.  Thank you for all of your hard work!!  The following are some of my favorite photos of our DMs.

This is Mary.  She is a Foreign Exchange Student from Germany who has joined the band for this year.  She is a member of our Cockpit (the percussion ensemble / sound effects team at the rear of the field)  When the band turns and plays toward that back of the stadium it is her responsibility to lead the band while they cannot see the Drum Majors.  I have enjoyed getting to know her a little bit and am incredibly impressed with how she has jumped right into this experience by playing an important role for our band.

Because our BBI performance was the same night as the Homecoming Dance, students were excused immediatly after our performance to attend.  Because of this our Drum Majors were not able to be present for the awards ceremony.  Band members were asked to fill in as  for the retreat.  They were taught this year's salute and did a great job as Drum Majors for a day.

Sweet Success - BBI at USU

News Blurb: "The Sky View Color Guard were the top performers, taking home the Color Guard Caption Award in the 5A Open Class Division at the Bridgerland Band Invitational held at Utah State University. The Sky View Marching Band captured the 3rd place trophy for their overall performance score of 847.33. American Fork placed 1st with a score of 872.33 and Davis High School took 2nd place with their score 852.58. Bands from across Utah and Idaho competed at BBI, an event hosted by the Mountain Crest Marching Band on 9/21/2013."

It was a beautiful day - just slightly breezy, which picked up, of course, right as the backdrops were being rolled to the line up place.  There were a few runaways as the large canvas photos become sails for their little carts.
Mr. Beach condensed the regular contest day preparations to accommodate those members of the band who had homecoming "day dates."  There were warm ups and stretches at the SV band field then everyone dressed in uniform and loaded buses to take that short trip to USU campus.  Students then immediately moved to the practice area in the parking lot and began their warm ups, tuning, and sound checks before lining up in the tunnel at the north side of Rommey Stadium.Sky View was slated to perform at 6:15pm, the first of the 5A bands, Many students planned to race off the field and dash home to change into formals for the Homecoming dance.
It was decided that the band should have a bit of extra energy and hydration right before they hit the field so as to be at their best for the performance.  Band moms set up a pit stop station between the warm up area and where the band would line up.  A chocolaty "kiss" from the mama's and a quick swig of Gatorade and the band was ready to go.
The sweet sendoff must have really helped because they sounded and performed amazingly!!  The Color Guard was completely ON and the judge loved it, giving them the most points of any other guard in 5A.

There were some from rival bands that reported after watching Sky View's show they predicted that we would take the day.  This bodes well for our chances of future successes.  The show is definitely a crowd favorite.
It was the first real test of getting on and off the field with all of the equipment, sound systems, backdrops, instruments, and panels.  The students did a great job in their assignments and things looked and sounded great!  There was a little bottleneck that happened getting off the field while trying to squeeze everything past the American Fork pit equipment, but it was a great first timed run.
Mr. Beach was very proud of how the band had performed.  He especially gave a shout out to the soloists and the sound as being perfect.  "I know.. and I know you do too.. that we still have a ways to go to get to where we want to be.  But you just played the show the best you could possibly have played it at this point in our season.  I hope you are just stoked and completely jazzed about coming to practice on Monday and making it even better!  I know that I am."  This was met with cheers and shouts of "Yeah!!"
Typically the band would stay and all together watch the rest of the bands compete and wait to hear the results. However, because of the SV Homecoming Dance, the band was dismissed immediately following the performance. All 3 drum majors had dates for the dance and so doubles had been elected and trained in the salute so as to be stand ins during the retreat and awards presentation.  There were not many of the band in attendance during the awards to hear the great results, but the news spread quickly by word of mouth (and text.)
Congratulations Band!  You are finally tasting some sweet success for all your hard work over the summer.  The cheers from the crowd and standing ovations should make you feel really great!  You've earned them!!  Keep up the good work!!

Storm Warning - Weber Review

Sky View was warming up in preparation for taking the field for the Weber Review at Weber State University when an announcement was made to the crowd in the stadium:

"A national weather advisory has just issued a severe thunderstorm warning for 25 minutes from now.  In the event of lightning the stadium will be evacuated.  If you are on the field we will stop your performance and all bands and members for the audience will clear the stadium and shelter in your cars and buses for 30 mins.  After that time we will asses the weather and make a decision as to continuing the competition or cancelling due to the weather."

Mr. Beach and the band was just marching from the warm up area for their last water break before lining up to perform.  When told of the announcement, Mr. Beach looked with concern at his watch and said, "But that is exactly when we are set to perform!"
It was decided that because of the gusting wind  that the backdrops and panels would not be used.

Mr. Beach explained,  "You will need to enter and perform exactly as you would if the equipment was there.  Maintain professionalism and simulate, as closely as possible, setting up for the show."   Storm clouds rolled in and the sky darkened ominously.

As expected, the crowd was very enthusiastic about what Sky View was doing on the field and loved the show, especially when the lightning flags started flashing.  There was an audible gasp when those flags went up and the storm circles began on the field.  The cymbals crashed and the lightening sound effects split the air.  With the real storm on top of us -  mother nature creating her own backdrop - the show was electrifying!!

We were able to finish our show and the next band performed also.  The stadium did eventually get evacuated and, unfortunately, not all of the 5A bands got to perform. It was decided that the initial storm warning must have been set off by the SV flags and the tribal rain dance of the Sky View Marching Band!!

The band performed well.  There were a few snaffus with the metronomes and some props that were left behind, but it was a good test of the band's show itself.  The feedback from the Judges was very positive.  They were really excited about "Rhythm of the Rain Forest" and the power of the musical concepts and visuals.  Students report that the Weber adjudicator's word o' the day was "potential."  Even the judges are looking forward to seeing this show become everything it can become.  Let's do it, Sky View!!

Tradition!!

The Sky View Marching Band travels to performances and competitions on 4 buses generally.  There are broken up into the Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, and Color Guard bus. As we pulled into the parking lot of Weber University, I overheard members of a presumably smaller band remark loudly to her friends, "Whoa.  An ENTIRE bus just for Woodwinds."
I had the opportunity to ride the Woodwind bus to Weber Review.  I've heard rumors about the activities that go on in the various buses as part of that bus's tradition.  Something about pies and pigs among other things. In the past, I've only ridden on the percussion bus.  There is a lot of thumpity-thump rhythms going on throughout the ride and, when Joe was around, incredible and sometimes gross eating challenges, but on the whole they are a fairly calm group.  This was my first chance to witness things like the "Hotter than Hot" cheer, the Captain Song, and something called the Cupcake Chug.
The Chug goes like this:  Someone, Sam in this case (who went the extra mile in topping each with garden fresh raspberries), bakes and frosts a cupcake for each member of the woodwinds.  The cupcakes are distributed.  Everyone unwraps their yummy little package and at the captain's signal they each try to inhale the cake in a single gulp, upon which, they stand and touch (or loudly slap) the ceiling of the vehicle to signal they have completed the task.  They must not leave a crumb behind. and each person meticulously finishes every bit for good luck.
Another tradition that is consistent on each bus is something called "Silent Bus"  This part gives my mama heart the shivers in a good way.  It is an eairy and super neat performance of the show.  10 minutes before we arrive at our destination, and while the bus is rolling along, each of the Drum Majors traveling with each bus, conduct time as the students visualize themselves do the show. This can get a little tricky to do while the bus makes the final turns and changes in acceleration.  Band moms support the conductors to help them keep their feet and not break time. The students count out loud and "sing" their parts and visuals are simulated. Drummers play on the backs of the seats. The kids do this to mental prepare themselves to do the show and it is a way for the band to put on their "game face."  They are to be silent until we arrive and then prepare themselves for the show and set up the equipment with as little talking as possible.  This serious mood is to create an intensity and focus in performing the best. It is a neat tradition and is a memorable experience for anyone lucky enough to be a part of it.

Family Night

News Blurb: "The SV and MC Marching bands will be performing their 2013 shows at the Marching Band Family Night — Monday at 7:30 PM. The Sky View show is titled “Rhythm of the Rain Forest.” The Mountain Crest show is titled “Immortals.” The community is invited to attend this event to help friends and families of these talented and hardworking students kick off their competitive seasons.Both high school marching bands will be performing these shows in “open class” competitions against other 5A division schools throughout the state. There is no cost for Family Night and the performances will be held at the Sky View Bobcat Stadium."

A rain storm shortened the final practice/dress rehearsal for SV before Family Night and so there were some last minute adjustments to backdrop placement and equipment assignments.  It took a little while for the set up of the show, but a giant crowd of friends and family patiently waited in perfect weather to see the unveiling of the complete SV and MC Marching Band Shows.

M.r Beach remarked that the Family Night crowd was a bigger number of people than they will perform for at some of the season's competitions.  We were really pleased that so many folks came out to see the shows and support the students from both schoold in their efforts to creating fantastic and entertaining shows.

As is tradition, the SV band has a family member of each band student join them on the field to march with them as they perform a small portion of the show.  This is a fun way for the family to get a taste of how difficult it is to do what the band member is doing on the field.  It is also a bit of comedy for the rest of the spectators to watch the near misses family members make with instruments, flags, and band direction changes.  

This year the senior members of SV were recognized on the field and their family member placed their "senior pins," this year a silver star, upon their uniform.  

Both bands performed their show twice so as to practice getting on and off the field and also so that each band could get a chance to watch the others' performance.  It pleases me that the marching band community can be competitive and supportive at the same time.  There seems to be a special comradery between MC and SV marching bands.  SV competes all over the state against MC and both bands celebrate the other's victories and applaud and compliment the things that each does well.  They are our sister band and we wish them the best of luck in this upcoming season.

The MC band performed their show "Immortal" in their parade uniforms and black sunglasses.  SV students later learned that they would be unveiling, as a surprise, their true 2013 uniforms at BBI, an event hosted by Mountain Crest at USU later in the week. They will compete in full length black cloaks, and red vampire guard costumes with coffin boxes as props.

It was a great start for the performance season and the level of student excitement about finally being ready for audiences and judges after all the practicing was kicked up to a new level.  Here we go!!

Talking the Talk

There are a few words in the Marching Band Vocabulary that might need some explaining.  Understanding what these words mean can help you to know what your Marching Band student is talking about and also, when used correctly, can make you seem to know what you're talking about too.

Please comment below if you can think of other marching band words that would be useful to know.  (Please also correct me if things are quite right here)

Color Guard:  this includes the group of flag bearers and weapons carriers.  Weapons usually perform with rifles but might also use flags, sabers, or other items as part of their routine.

Drill: This is the way that the marching band moves on the field during performances. The drill is made up of many sets

Forms: These are the lines, arcs, and shapes, that the band creates as they move on the field during their drill. These forms evolve from one set to the next.

Dot: This is the exact location that a single member of the band needs to be in on the field in a particular form of the drill at an exact time.  Students move from one “dot” to the next in to create the next form in the set. NOTE: While learning the drill, these “dots” are marked on the field with spray paint. later the students will just "know" exactly where their dots are for every set, how much time they have to get from one to the other, and how big the steps are they need to take in order to get there in time.  Oh yea. They also have to get there while moving their feet exactly in time to the beat, not move their upper body even if they are Jazz running, and  all the while playing the show on their instrument perfectly.  Whew!

Sets:  This describes a single section of the drill.  It is a snapshot of the drill on the field.  Students move from their dot in one set to their dot in the next set. (Can someone please comment to tell us how many sets are in the 2013 show?)

Movements:  These are the songs or song pieces that are performed by the band in a single performance.  Normally there are 4 or 5 movements in each band’s performance.  One of these must be a ballad, or slower and more sentimental song.  Bands might also choose to include a drum break in addition to the movements into their show.

Dress: This term is used to describe making minor adjustments to a line or form so as to be visual strait or to have correct spacing between band members in that form.

Clean/dirty: This term describes how closely the band is playing their music with members of the band playing the same musical parts.  A clean sound is one where the notes or taps are played exactly together in time. 

Drumline:  This includes the student musicians that play percussive instruments in both the Pit/Front Ensemble and the Battery.

Pit/Front Ensemble:  This is the group of percussionists that do not march on the field but play the heavy instruments in the auxiliary area at the front of the field.  Instruments vary for each year’s show and might include vibraphones, xylophones, marimba, gongs, cymbals, synthesizers, etc., as well as, a variety of small percussion instruments like the tambourine, triangle, shakers, ect.  This year there is also a pit section behind the band.  This is the back pit or as they like to be called, the cockpit.  They are responsible for the electronic sound effects and speakers at the rear.  Also included in the pit, is the mixer.  This station, usually right below the stands, is responsible for the soloist and ensemble mics, the metronomes, and the speakers at the front.

Battery: This is the group of percussionist that march with their instruments on the field.  They include the bass, snare, and tenor/quad drummers. Occasionally bands will include marching cymbals in the battery.

Hornline:  This is the group of students that play non-percussion instruments.  They include all groups of wind instrument sections (ie woodwinds, low-brass, trumpets, flutes, ect.)

Drum Major:  These are the students that conduct the band from podiums in the front, and sometimes side and back of the fields of play.  They have a large role as leaders in the band organization as well.

Drum break:  This is a moment in a band show where the drum line is featured and the hornline does not play.  These might be where the hornline needs to move through the drill faster than then can play or perform a visual that cannot be done while playing.

Adjudicators:  these are the men and women that judge the performances of the bands in competition.  There are 4 or 5 judges looking at several different areas during each performance.  Awards and given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places based on total points as well as a caption award given for first place points standing in each of the judged areas of performance. Captions include color guard, musical performance, percussion, and general effect.

2013 Show Press Release

The 2013 Sky View Marching Band is performing music by Brian T. Harmsen and drill and visuals designed by Drew Farmer.  This year’s show features handmade Tribal Drums.

Sky View Marching Band is under the direction of Randall Beach with Student Drum Majors, Christian Berger, Jaden Beck, and Karissa Peck.  Additional Instructional staff include Marching and Music staff members, Launa Nelson, Jesse Johnson, and Elayna Pedersen; Percussion Staff members, Curtis Pedersen and Marcie Cluff; and Colorguard Staff members, McKenzie Sorensen, Katy Anderson, and Morgan Jenkins.

Sky View High School Marching Band students have been practicing this year’s show since June.  There are 124 students in the band, from grades 9-12, which includes 27 members of the Color Guard. 

The Sky View Marching Band 2013 show is titled “Rhythm of the Rain Forest” and has 6 movements:

                “The Awakening”

                “Forest Life”

                “Tribal Call”

                “The Calm”

                “The Storm”

                and “The Blooming”

Sky View competes against other 5A division schools in what is called open class.

During competitions the band is judged on their musical and marching performance.  Trophies are awarded for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place in each division based on scores given by 4 judges. .  In addition to awards for overall placement, 4 separate Caption Awards are given for the most points scored in the areas of General Effect, Musicality, Percussion, and Color Guard.

The Sky View Band competitive season culminates in the Utah State Championships, also called Red Rocks Competition, and the Bands of America Regional Championships.  These 2 final competitions are held back to back in St. George, Utah at Dixie Stake College of Utah. 

At BOA Regionals, Sky View will compete against the top bands in all divisions from 8 states in the Western Region. Close to 40 bands will perform their shows during the morning and afternoon preliminaries each of them vying for one of the 10 spots in Finals Competition that evening.  Sky View has consistently earned a spot in the finals at BOA Regionals, most recently placing 7^th overall in 2012.

The continued excellence in competition against other these other incredibly talented bands proves that Sky View Marching Band is one of the Western Region’s premier marching programs.  This is due in large part to the dedication of these hard working and talented students.

The 2013 competition dates are as follows:

Monday Sept 16 - Family Night Exhibition W/ Mtn. Crest @ SV Stadium.  This will be in full uniform and each full show will be performed twice.  The performance begins at 7:30.

Tuesday Sept 17 - Weber Review Judged Exhibition @ Weber State University.

Saturday Sept 21 - Bridgerland Band Invitational @ Utah State University.

Saturday Sept 28 -  NEBO Tournament of Bands @Payson High School.

Tuesday Oct 8 -  Rocky Mtn. Band Competition @ BYU.

Tuesday Oct 15 -  Davis Cup Competition @ Davis High School.

Thursday Oct 24 - Performing full show during halftime of the final SV football game @ SV Stadium. 

Saturday Oct 26 -  Mt. Timpanogos Competition @ Pleasant Grove High School.

Friday Nov. 1 -  RED ROCKS - UTAH STATE CHAMPIONSHIP @ Dixie College

Saturday Nov. 2 - BANDS OF AMERICA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP @ Dixie College.

The members of the Sky View Marching Band are very grateful for the support and encouragement from their wonderful families, the community, band sponsors, staff, and the Sky View Administration.

More information about the Sky View Marching Band, as well as videos of the 2013 performance, can be found at www.skyviewband.org. 

"I Love a Parade"

       The highlight of a parade for me is always the marching band!! Sky View Marching Band does a great job of jazzing up the crowd at the local parades playing their great patriotic pieces and fun drumline cadences.    
       They march in Lewiston's 4th of July parade, the Hyde Park Pioneer Days Parade.  This year marks the first time that the SVMB has participated in the North Logan 24th of July Parade.  During parades the band wear levi shorts and their band shirts (also worn for Pep Band assignments) however, the band gets to dress in full uniform and the color guard in show costume for the Sky View Homecoming parade. They will be closing out their marching season with the Smithfield's Health Days and Richmond's Black & White days in Spring of 2014.