RBHS Band brings rock to Red Bay
By Brandi Miller for the FCT
People who haven’t had the opportunity to hear the Red Bay High School band are missing what most Tiger fans would agree is an amazing performance. The RBHS band has fans and players engaged and brings a level of excitement whenever they perform.
Band director Jonathan Hill is in his third year as director of the RBHS band. This year’s band has 38 members in the high school band and 20 in the beginner band. Fans are seeing a few changes in this year’s routine.
“One noticeable change is that we had the complete show on the field for the very first game,” said Hill. “Another fun change is we have added a little crowd involvement for our finale. Also, this year the band is made up of more experienced kids, so the crowd might notice a higher level of musicianship.”
A surge in interest in the band has been seen throughout the school. This has led to the creation of a sixth-grade beginner band program at RBHS – a big highlight to Hill.
“We are ecstatic and proud to have this wonderful asset to the band program,” he said. “We would like to give Johnny Cleveland, Lance Mitchell and Micah Jackson a huge thank you for making this happen.”
A band doesn’t just come together and perform at the caliber the RBHS Band does without many long hours of practice, dedication and hard work. RBHS band members held band camp July 17-21 and July 31-Aug. 3. As anyone who lives in Alabama knows, the heat and humidity is almost unbearable during these times, but these dedicated band members used this time to begin working on their halftime show music and brushing up on stand tunes for the football season.
Shortly after band camp, school started and daily band practice began.
“We begin each practice by taking attendance followed, with a good breathing-and-playing warm up,” said Hill. “Next we typically practice a different stand tune or two every day to keep those fresh. The rest of practice is centered on the halftime show.
“There are many times when we work on something specific in the music before ever going outside to the practice field. However, outside is where the hardest work takes place. There are always areas or specific spots that we can make better and need attention.”
One of the biggest challenges Hill said the RBHS band has this year is lack of a tuba player, but he said he hopes to have one for next year.
He said band members are pumped about this year’s halftime performance, which is a show centered on the musical group Queen. The band is performing, “We Will Rock You,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”
Senior members of the 2017-2018 RBHS band are drum major and saxophone Ethan Ray, band captain and trumpet Anna Jackson, trumpet Maggie Bates, baritone Cindy Wallace and color guard member Destiny Higgins.
