BHS band marches to the tune of a different drummer

It’s inexperienced with 30 of 44 members being new

By Nancy Adams Treder • October 30, 2021 1:30 am

The Bainbridge High School Marching Band and Guard has placed second, third and fourth in competitions this year.

Last Saturday, it was second, and it also won the High Percussion award for Division A schools in Preliminary Competition with its performance of “The Fabric of Time” at the Puget Sound Festival of Bands at Everett Memorial Stadium.

The band is led by drum major Dani Heylen, with Color Guard captains Bren Albrecht and Jelani Aziz and percussion captain Jack Ekstrand.

In their first competition since 2019 due to COVID-19 restrictions earlier this month, the Spartans placed third in the preliminary performances and fourth overall in a competition that included larger bands from Division AA and AAAA schools.

Director Chris Thomas was eager to return to competition after a challenging year of trying to make online music classes engaging and is happy that music activities were getting back to normal.

“Nothing beats a marching band contest,” Thomas said. “ Everybody wants all the bands to do really well and everybody cheers for each other. It’s something that I think makes the marching band a really special and positive atmosphere, because you want your competitors to do well, too…Nothing beats playing music live with your friends and that was the one thing we couldn’t do forever.”

In a year that prevented adult volunteers from helping out on campus, Thomas said he had to rely on student band leaders. “They’ve been unbelievable… They’re here much more as mentors to help guide the underclassmen who need them more than they usually do because even the sophomores didn’t really have marching band last year,” he said.

In less than six weeks the BHS Marching Band student leaders coached nearly 30 new students through the challenges of marching, choreography and learning new music to take to the field and perform with 44 members, 14 less than in 2019.

Parents also were pleased. “It is gratifying to have the marching band back in action: to see the kids immersed in shared activities and goals again,” said Kristen Gagnon, a parent volunteer for four years.

Prior to their final number, the xylophone fell apart. But Thomas and the percussionists repaired it just in time for their 8½ minute show.

“It’s a bit of a rebuilding year, but I think we’ve fared well compared to a lot of other schools,” Thomas said.

The Spartans travel to Sammamish Nov. 6 for their final competition of the season at Eastside Catholic High School.

Courtesy photo Freshman Gretchen Johnston gets set to play a euphonium during rehearsals leading up to the judged performance. See BHS band marches to the tune of a different drummer, B14.