Boom! The room erupts in a hurricane of sound and music as band members concentrate intently on their individual parts. With the percussion keeping the band’s rhythm steady, Paul McEntee, band director, swings his baton as he tries to keep everything under control.

It is the end of marching season and the beginning of concert season. No longer forced to go outside to practice their marching skills, band members instead work inside the classroom to improve their musical ability.

“Marching season and concert season are very different so it’s hard to say which I like more,” McEntee said. “However, during concert season we have more time to fix our music inside the classroom, instead of having to constantly go outside to practice our marching.”

This concert season, the band will participate in the Fine Arts Concert on Feb 22, the ACSI Festival on Feb 25 and the CMEA Festival, which is in April. The band’s annual Spring Concert will be at Riverpark Bible Church on May 17.

“We plan to play ?Variations on a Korean Folk Song’, ?Cajun Folk Songs’, ?Trauersinfonie’ and ?The Gum Sucker’s March’ at these festivals,” McEntee said. “We might even perform ?Vesuvius’, which is probably the hardest piece this concert season, at the Spring Concert.”

Band members seem to welcome the change from marching season to concert season.

“I really don’t like marching,” Andrew King, ’06, said. “This concert season I hope I can improve the range I can play on my trumpet.”

Since his freshmen year, King has played the trumpet for the band.

“I keep coming back to band every year because I enjoy it,” King said, “Besides, Bandos are cool!’

While freshmen band members face their first concert season, senior band members prepare for their last semester of band.

“I just plan to do my best this concert season.” Karen Tolladay, ’05, “I have really enjoyed all the people and music in band.”

For more information, call McEntee at 299-1695 ext. 131 or email him at [email protected].

By Benjamin Dang
“~”Brianna Stobbe, Photographer”~”In the sea of faces all eyes follow the director. The sweet strains of a symphony, or perhaps a Russian waltz, grow to fill the room.

Paul McEntee, band director, keeps time as senior Young-Ju Cho and fresnman Elisha Quintana contribue to the music with thier flutes.”~””~””~”Insert text here