By: Bill Conger
The DeKalb County High School Fighting Tiger Band is small in number this year but powerful in performance. With 36 members, Band Director Tracy Luna and Assistant Band Director Jonathan Holland took the marching band to Baxter Saturday (September 1) for the Upperman Exhibition.
“I think the band ramped it up today and did great,” Tracy Luna told WJLE following the band’s performance. “Friday night they went to Stone Memorial, and they weren’t quite on their game, but today they put it all together. The focus was there, and they produced a great product for an early run during the season.”
Area bands converged on the football field at Upperman High School to display their talents. Around mid-day storms forced the musicians to move inside to the gym where they performed an adjusted version of their field show. DeKalb’s first contest of the season will be in two weeks for the Cumberland County Invitational in Crossville.
Luna says the students put in a lot of hard work for an eight minute show, but it pays off.
“We spend two weeks in band camp getting music, and what we call drill, which is pictures with movement and music together,” Luna said. “It’s generally long hours for just an eight minute show, but when it’s all said and done, the kids wouldn’t do anything else. I wouldn’t do anything else. It’s worth it.”
“We practice three times a week, and we work on pictures, which means that on a football field, we divide it up into a grid, and they all have different coordinates that they memorize that go along with music. It’s kind of complicated, but the kids get used to it, and before long they’re professionals at it.”
“Phantom of the Opera” is the band’s 2018 marching band theme
I’ve never done “Phantom of the Opera.” I’ve always loved the musical, and I thought the kids needed to be exposed to the good quality Broadway music. It’s music that people can sing and hum and can remember. It’s not off the wall. It’s very popular with a crowd. I thought too this was a good year to do it. I have the brass to do it, and we pulled it off.”
The D.C.H.S. band will perform next at the Tigers’ football game against Watertown Friday night