For two days before school started, the band gathered together at school to get to know each other and learn their new march. Band camp had returned.

The band arrived at school on Aug 11, at 8 AM and stayed until noon the next day. That night, while sleeping in the FCS gym, some band members played video games with a projector shined on one of the walls.

?The march this year is pretty repetitive,? Andrew Biehler, alto saxophone, ?08, said, ?and it is harder than last year?s march. But I think we can do it, and that the band will be pretty successful.?

The name for the march this year is Quest, by Rob Grice. Some students wish that last year?s march, Pirate?s of the Caribbean, could be played again.

?The march last year was really fun to listen to,? Daniel Kessler, ?06, said, ?and I wish the band would play it again. It was great because everyone knew the tunes.?

Director Paul McEntee said he has a young band this year with only one senior but believes he may have one of the best young groups he has ever had. McEntee is in his sixth year leading the band.

“In a band with only one senior, I consider this a two-year project that will only improve,” McEntee said. “Our upperclassmen are musically mature and will make some of the finest sounds our school has ever made.”

The camp also gave the 24 band members to see each other before school started and for freshmen and new students to become introduced to the school.

For freshman, the opportunity was mixed with the challenge of learning to march. This is the third biggest band under McEntee’s tenure as band director.

?The hardest part of camp was marching,? Scott Yantis, trumpet, ?09, said. ?You have to be in step with everyone else, and playing an instrument while walking is not easy.?

?I think the band camp idea is really neat, because all of the freshman get to know each other, and the extra few days really help me to get the band acting as one,? McEntee said. ?Marching can be difficult, the extra few days gives an advantage to those who attend.?

For more information, talk to any band member or McEntee, in the band room or email him at [email protected].