It has been a wonderful year of learning for the FHS Marching Blackcats. This year’s theme took a darker turn, A Blackcat Nightmare. This is only the third year that this generation of students has participated in competitive marching. Under the direction of Mrs. Shelby Leo and Drum Majors Carter Hale and Adrienne Cox, these students took their competition viewers into the depths of darkness. This year, they entered three competitions and one exhibition.
To start, they first competed in the Farmington Invitational. Held on September 21st, this match met students with 100-degree heat and humid rain, but they pushed through phenomenally. This competition holds two parts, the judge’s practice and the final performance. During the judge’s practice, the band can perform their show partially or completely and receive feedback from the judges without being scored. The band got great feedback, and it was reflected in their later shows. This year, Fredericktown went up against 7 bands, some they had previously not seen before. In their field performance, they placed 7/7 with a score of 47.75. They were just shy of 6th place, with St. Vincent DePaul receiving a score of 49.6. Soon enough, we will learn that it is just a couple of points that will separate these musicians.
Their next showcase was not a competition but an exhibition, Jackson Band Fest. On October 1st students traveled to Jackson High School to participate in an action-packed day of feedback. Students made 5 appearances that day. Firstly, they participated in a mass band practice, where they learned the variation of the national anthem they would play, along with other aspects. Next, they practiced their show before they had a short break and performed their parade sequence for the first time this season. The students continued with their Azalea Parade song, “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars, and it was executed beautifully. The band sounded lovely, and the color guard looked stunning. Once the band returned, they performed their field show, A Blackcat Nightmare, and were given feedback from various experts around the region. To close the night off, all of the attending bands gathered together to perform the national anthem, creating a beautiful ceremony.
Up next on their journey was districts on October 1, also known as the SEMBA Marching Festival. Since it is the district competition, this one also holds a parade element. As a past band member and an onlooker, I know that the FHS Marching Band can pull off some parades, and once again, they did. Competing against 10 other bands, the Marching Blackcats pulled off 2nd place, earning them their best score for the entirety of the season. Drum Majors Carter Hale and Adrienne Cox, alongside Color Guard Captain Ryley Heady, were able to accept their first award, showing just how much their hard work has paid off. Students had time between their first appearance and their next; this gave them the opportunity to view other bands in attendance. Once it was time for the field performance, every student gave the show of a lifetime. The dedication brought onto the field each show is hypnotizing, even if the judges may not see it the same. Disappointingly, the band placed last in their class, and 8/14 overall. Even with another kick to their hard work, the students pulled it back together on Monday in put in some of the hardest practices all year for their final performance, Ste. Geneveive Marching Competition.
Unlike previous Saturdays, Ste. Gen is extremely fast paced, not lasting over three hours in total. Once students arrived, they immediately got dressed and began to warm up. They were then escorted to their practice location for a quick run-through of the show, and then escorted once more to the field, giving A Blackcat Nightmare its final production. Once again, the students were let down by the judges, receiving their 3rd and final 7/7, with a score of 53.625. Something I would like to point out from each competition is that the band was only 2-5 points away from 6th or higher. At almost every competition, each band is only a couple of points from each other, proving just how important it is that every single member has every aspect down to the very angle.
As the season came to a close with a disappointing score result, the students were not disappointed in themselves. I had a beautiful conversation with junior Adrienne Cox, and she had moving words to say about “her band kids.” Before we talked about her view of the band this year, I asked her why she believed they were the ones to fall so low on the scale, when others were just within reach. She believes that this year they took on a more entertaining role. “When I go to watch other bands, I’m there to be entertained. I’m not looking at your feet or how straight your lines are.” How you are marching and how straight you can march, however, is exactly what most judges are looking for. “I believe we did a good job entertaining the crowd, but we definitely could have better footwork and technique skills overall.” Even with that said, she immediately followed up with, “Overall, this season has been really good, for us students at least. The work we have done has taken the music department a major step in the right direction.” One topic she kept bringing up in our conversation is one I noticed, and I hope others noticed as well. “The dedication of these kids is insane. This year had been the hardest and most rewarding year in a long time because everyone wanted to be there; everyone wants to work.”
Adrienne has been in band for six years, and for most of those years alongside her best friend, Carter Hale. At the end of his freshman year, Carter took a leap and auditioned for the role of drum major and got it. While most of us can agree Carter is a musical genius in every way, he was still learning to be a leader and following his head drum major. This year he was given the privilege to be the leader, and the one he was guiding was his best friend. Continuing my conversation with Adrienne, I asked her what it was like to work alongside Carter, knowing he had the experience from the previous year. She puts it simply. “Carter is the best. Seriously. He taught me so much in a short amount of time. I think we work really well together, and there is no one else in this entire band that I would rather conduct with. I am honored to be his sidekick. The adrenaline rush of leading such a group with a guy like him and the experience of meeting new people is so rewarding.”
As the season has come to a close Adrienne hopes that she can continue her work next year as Drum Major alongside Carter. She has high hopes that the band will be back in better placement next year, and that they will continue to grow even after she is gone. In the end, she hopes everyone can go out with a bang. Marching season may be over, but you can now get a look the new show they are putting on. Their next appearance will be December 7th for the Miracles on Main Street Parade. Come out to support our parade winning band! On December 19th they will be in the High School Gym to performing their selection of Christmas music, and the Jazz band will be joining them. For further dates, follow the Blackcat Music Association on Facebook.
