November 13, 2022
By: Bill Conger
The D.C.H.S. Fighting Tiger Band saw the marching season come to an exhilarating end at the 41st Annual Tennessee Division II State Marching Band Championship. Under the direction of Don Whitt and Assistant Director Erica Birmingham, the 45-member ensemble performed admirably against some of the biggest bands and strongest schools in the state November 5 at Stewarts Creek High School in Smyrna.
Judges ranked the band and percussion section as Excellent and the color guard and drum major Serenity Burgess as Superior. While the band didn’t make it to the finals, they placed 14th out of 22 bands, and the color guard was 7th overall.
“I think the band performed really well,” Director Don Whitt said. “They have come a long way. Our staff and I listened to the judges’ comments on the bus [after the preliminary round] while the students were eating. I could tell that the grading of the judges was going to be tough. However, we placed 14th overall in our division. We have a lot of young students that are 7th and 8th graders and only a small select few that will be leaving this year that are seniors. So, I look for us to grow and build upon for the next several years.”
The musicians began preparations for the marching season in July and continued to critique and make improvements all the way to the culmination at the state contest.
“Near the end we practically rewrote the entire drill of the show,” Whitt said. “This was something I thought we could do if it we did not have any bad weather. However, I saw that it gave a much needed boost to our momentum.”
This year’s success built on major steps forward from the previous year.
“I am not necessarily new to the role. I would have to say, that thankfully I have had a great deal of help. I could not have done it without first of all the Band Boosters under president Keith Mosely, treasurer Megan Mosely, secretary Jennifer Nokes, Randy Maple, Jr., and Stephanie Carter. We have the best band parents there are. I have had a lot of help from my assistant Erica Birmingham, Shannon Johns, Color Guard instructor, Jennifer Peterson former Westmoreland band director who is a friend and mentor to me and assistance from Smithville Elementary School teacher Maxwell Patterson.
“The drive this year is to be better than we were last year, musically and visually. As every band director, my education and experience have prepared me to teach the students when it comes to music theory, good practice routines, marching techniques. However, if I did not have help from the people we just would not be able to compete. So, I’d say thanks to them.”
“Secondly, I focused on my students’ strengths and abilities. I know my students’ abilities better than anyone. We have a lot of great leaders. They tell me what they are interested in. When I was thinking about what we were going to do last year for this year’s show, it hit me when the students were going down the road in the bus to one of our football games. The students were singing all of these songs from the 1980’s. I said, “Hmm, that gives me an idea.” From there, I started drawing and thinking about what we could come up with for an 80’s show. Everywhere we went people just said, “I love your show!” I would be in Walmart and people would come up to me from everywhere and tell us how good we were doing at half time.”
“Thirdly, I had to teach on preparation. A huge key whether it be in sports or in life is preparation. This can mean a lot of things like getting the equipment ready for the season, determining my goals for the year, planning on unforeseen events like not having power to your keyboard at a competition. I’d have to say what works for us is we are not a large band at all. So, I have told the students concentrate on quality not quantity.
Students sometimes look at other bands at competitions that may have 100+ band members. The students put themselves down because they don’t have all of the bells and whistles that other bands may have. However, I try to have a better outlook in life. It is easy to get caught up with other bands that have bigger budgets, bigger programs, more staff, and have all the bells and whistles with technology and lavish sets. I tell my students that when I have overheard them questioning do we have a chance at a Tennessee State Championship? I say, “Absolutely!” I want them to focus on their gifts and abilities. I want them to stick to excellent practice routines, maintain the right tempo, work on discipline, and learn to have good technique and proper form.”
“I would say we try to be positive on a daily basis. Setbacks are going to happen. I tell the students to view them as challenges to be conquered. Sometimes, we have worn out equipment, scheduling problems and bad practices happen to every band. Yet, we have to stay positive and keep on keeping on.”
The band will play in the Christmas parades in Smithville, Liberty, Alexandria and Cookeville. A Christmas concert is also planned, but the date has not been set.