VWHS band ready for grid season to start

VWHS band information

After a great band camp and several August rehearsals, the students and staff of the Van Wert High School “Cougar Pride” Marching Band are ready for the season to begin this Friday at Bryan.

The high school band traveled to Oglebay Park in Wheeling, West Virginia, for band camp in late July and has spent time at VWHS since then in earnest preparations for the season. The band has spent more than 50 hours of rehearsal time over the last five weeks. If added up in normal high school “class periods”, that would be over 13 weeks’ worth of class time.

Following a wonderfully successful 2014-15 season that included performing in Ohio Stadium and a Symphonic Band state contest “superior” rating, the band is looking forward to an eventful 2015-16 year.

This year’s band, which boasts 70 students, is the largest since 2010. In March, the band will be traveling to Chicago for a two-day trip, and, as always, there is plenty of music and fun along the way.

The marching band has a great series of shows to present the Cougar crowd. This year’s season of shows is entitled “SPRING: When All Things Renew”.

Show 1 is called “Let Freedom spRing” and is a patriotic celebration to be presented at the first home game on September 11. The show features all well-known patriotic music as a reflection of the American tragedy of 14 years ago. It is both a somber and celebratory show that is an emotionally moving and uplifting celebration of the renewal of the American spirit that followed these events.

Show 2 is called “In the Sun of Spring” and will feature “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles and “Soak Up the Sun” by Sheryl Crow. This show will feature the VWMS eighth-graders.

Show 3 is called “Force of Nature: Storms of Spring” and utilizes “The Rite of Spring” by Russian composer Igor Stravinsky as the main theme (a symphonic work from the early 1900s).  Also making appearances throughout the show will be rock/pop music such as “Butterflies and Hurricanes” by Muse, “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC, “It Will Rain” by Bruno Mars, “November Rain” by Guns and Roses and “When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin.

The season will conclude with the traditional “Senior Night” show that thanks graduating band members for their hard work over the years.

The high school band is off to the start of another wonderful year, thanks to hard working students, wonderfully supportive parents and a glorious history of excellence.

For more information contact the Music Office at 419.238.3722, visit the band website at www.vanwertbands.org, “like” the band on Facebook at Van Wert Bands Information or follow it on Twitter @vwbands.