Burnet High School band shooting for out-of-this-world season
While the drum line might get a lot of attention, everyone knows it’s tuba players such as Burnet High School senior Adam Holt who really reflect the band — literally.
DANIEL CLIFTON • EDITOR
BURNET — This is the year the Burnet High School marching band, also part of the Esprit de Corps, is planning to take folks into outer space.
Band director Jason Jones and his staff started brainstorming as early as January for the upcoming football and marching band contest season. And they knew going in they wanted a stellar year because it’s a state-qualifying one for the Burnet band.
They came up with “Orbit.”
“It’s a collection of newer music with a space theme,” Jones said. “It has some music from the new ‘Star Trek’ soundtrack and some from the movie ‘Interstellar.’”
Band directors began pulling together pieces they liked and then turned it over to Daniel Montoya Jr. for arranging.
So when Burnet band members began gathering in late July and early August, they might have had their feet on the ground, but they were performing music that was out of this world.
“The ambience of the show is to take the listener into orbit and tell them a story in orbit about the things they might see and encounter there,” Jones added.
Whitacre customized the arrangement for the Burnet band.
And with 2016 being a year Burnet’s Esprit de Corps can advance to the Texas University Interscholastic League Marching Band contest (the UIL alternates years different classifications can advance), Jones, the other band directors and student leaders knew this was a year they had to entertain the crowds while also making judges sit up and take notice. Though each year the band strives to put together the best show possible.
Jones said the band jumped into summer practices full speed, even as the temperatures pushed the triple-digit mark. The band gets on the pavement outside the band hall at about 8 a.m. each day and keeps going until about 11 a.m. Then, after lunch, they might hit the pavement again for a half-hour or so before moving inside.
“The kids are really excited about the program and being back,” Jones noted. “And we (the band directors) have really seen how much they want to be here and how hard they are working.
“We’re so proud of the kids,” he added.
Though people sitting in the stands might think what the band is doing on the field during halftime looks easy, it only appears that way due to the incredible amount of work the students put in every week and every day.
Each year, a new crop of freshmen must learn not only the more sophisticated music but also how to march.
“It’s quite challenging putting those two things together,” Jones said.
Along with the band directors getting the freshmen up to speed, the upperclassmen and student leaders also step in to assist.
“That’s one of the great things about being in band, I think, is for the freshmen just coming into high school, they get this place where they can get some great support — both for band and just school,” Jones said.
Even returning band members have to tackle new music and the marching routine, so there’s a learning curve for everyone.
But, Jones said, everyone is committed to the program and working for a great year.
“I’m excited about this year,” he said. “And a lot of that comes from the kids.”
The Burnet marching band will perform Aug. 18 during Meet the Bulldogs at Bulldog Stadium, 1000 The Green Mile. The event starts at 7 p.m.
daniel@thepicayune.com