CULLMAN, Ala. – The 2019 Cullman High School Bearcat Marching Band wrapped up band camp with a performance for family and friends at Oliver Woodard Stadium Friday evening. This year, the Cullman High School band program is celebrating 90 years of making music. The band will also travel to New York City in November to perform at The Statue of Liberty.
This past week was the first time the full band practiced together, although the students have been hard at work with sectional practices since July 2. Band Director Christopher Smith and Assistant Director Doug Teuscher have put together a high-energy Latin-themed show titled “Fuego y Furia” (Fire and Fury).
Smith reflected on the weeks of band camp, sharing, “Most of these students have been on campus for at least the last couple of weeks. Percussion has been here a little bit longer than that. This week, since Monday, is the first time we’ve all been on campus for the same time together.”
Perhaps the most welcome change to this year’s band camp was the cooler temperatures.
Smith said, “I would like to say one big thank you, and that is to the weather! Sometimes band camp can be blistering hot. I got up on Tuesday morning and it was 67 in my front yard and I knew it was going to be a great day.”
As band members ran to their opening spots for the show opener, Smith explained, “As of tonight we have set or completed all of the drill to the opening tune of the show. The opener is ‘Escorpion’ and it’s got a lot of really intense brass and woodwind parts. This particular opener is extremely challenging for the winds and the percussion. Well, everybody! It’s been one of the hardest ones we’ve done as far as an opening tune.”
The Cullman Middle School marching band was also in attendance for the Friday night performance. This is Middle School Band Director Linda Bean’s 30th year as the leader of the beginning and intermediate band programs.
Smith praised her contributions saying, “As I have said many times before and every time I have an audience to listen, the middle school band program, and most especially our beginning band program and Mrs. Bean, are the most important part of our program, because without it, we have no future.”
Smith and Teuscher paused to recognize the winners of this year’s band camp awards and the individuals who have worked with the students throughout band camp.
- Best Rookie- Danica Vo, flute
- Golden Toe- Olivia Shelton, majorette
- Hustle Award- Claude Thomas and Cody Clark, saxophone
- Best Leader- Bailey Gray, trombone section leader and Sheldon Marti, dance line captain
- Drill Down Award- A.J. Woods, trumpet
- Last, Best Time- Shayla Koloski, baritone
- Most Improved Section- Trumpets
- Best Section- Flutes and color guard
The students and guests were treated to an ice cream social, organized by the Cullman Band Boosters, following the official end to the 2019 band camp.
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