The bands are back together. Fort Mill, Rock Hill schools are ready for comeback show
91421.jpg "The Northwestern High School marching band rehearses Tuesday at school.")
The bands are getting back together.
On Saturday afternoon, sounds that haven’t echoed in two years will swell in the Nation Ford High School stadium. Ten high school marching bands, including each of the six Fort Mill and Rock Hill high schools, will exhibit their new shows.
Jason Ford has been with the Fort Mill High School band for more than 30 years, as everything from student drum major to performance staff member to the voice of the band over public address systems at countless performances. Yet this year is different.
“Like other bands in the area, we have been navigating COVID quarantines and protocols for two months,” said Ford, a visual staff member for the band. “We are excited to perform part of our show for family, friends and fans.”
Fort Mill has a show called “Life Aquatic.” The band started planning performances, competitions and protocols months back. All while monitoring COVID-19 transmission rates that could end a competition or season.
When COVID disrupted school schedules during the 2020-21 school year, high school marching bands went quiet. Schedule changes and new protocols allowed football and other fall sports to happen, but not marching band. This area in particular was hit hard, given the high interest in area performing arts. Especially when it comes to marching bands.
Marching band success
Since 1965, there have been 247 South Carolina state champions crowned in high school marching band, across all classifications. Schools from York, Lancaster and Chester counties won 58 (23%) of the titles.
Fort Mill High has 24 state titles, despite in some recent years opting not to compete in state championships and instead playing in larger regional competitions. Nation Ford High School has eight titles, for a school that only opened in 2007. Indian Land High School also has eight titles.
Lewisville has seven titles, York five, Clover two, and Chester two.
Until 2020, the only year since at least 1959 that South Carolina didn’t award a state championship was the 1984 season when bands performed in a festival format.
Yet for directors, even championships don’t tell the whole story.
“The marching band show is only a tip of the iceberg,” said Ren Patel, director at Fort Mill High. “Most people would be astounded by the amount of work all of the marching band students put in to create a show. We use that medium to shape our students’ work ethic, character and musicianship.”
2021 band shows
The performance Saturday will have judges to give feedback, but there won’t be rankings and scores.
Performances will begin at 3:15 p.m. and run every quarter hour, minus a halftime break at 4:30 p.m., until Nation Ford takes the field at 5:45 p.m. Catawba Ridge High School, Fort Mill and Nation Ford will perform in the final three slots.
Northwestern High School has a “Home” show featuring music from a Dvorak symphony to Patrick Watson and the Cinematic Orchestra. Like other area bands, Northwestern will return to a home of sorts, on the playing field.
“It means a great deal to them,” director Mark Yost said of students, and the band community. “Last year was extremely challenging on so many levels but for band not having the performance opportunities was very disappointing as the students spent about the same amount of time rehearsing but didn’t get a chance to share their performances as they had in the past.”
Indian Land High School has a show called “The Witching Hour.” The band will play the Olde English Festival of Bands and Blythewood Tournament of Bands ahead of state championships in late October.
“Our students are extremely excited,” said director Matt Willis. “For veterans of competitive marching, they are excited to get back on the field and compete. For those who have not competed in the past, while the experience is new, the excitement of the veterans has rubbed off on them.”
While bands lost last fall, for some there was perspective gained.
“This season is going to be exciting because I believe many took for granted the things we were allowed to do prior to COVID,” Willis said. “Being allowed to go back out and have a little normalcy helps put things into perspective and reminds each participant how much an activity like marching band means to them.”
The “Run Free” show this year at South Pointe High School represents horses caught but ultimately returned to the wild. South Pointe will perform at the Olde English event on Sept. 25, will co-host BandBeat with Carolina Crown in October and travel to Chesnee High School for an event ahead of upper state competition.
“It has meant a lot to the students,” said director James Turner. “They are so excited to get to perform or an audience but more importantly they are having such a great time being back together for a singular cause of working as a unit.”
COVID impact
Bands are hopeful that COVID cancellations are behind them. There is no guarantee.
“There is always a concern about Covid,” Willis said. “At any time we could get an email letting us know that half the band has to quarantine due to a close contact situation. If events get canceled or rescheduled then they get canceled or rescheduled.”
Fort Mill has plans for most Saturdays from early October through early November. Even if events are held, there are protocols to consider like extra spacing on buses that could complicate travel for groups that can have hundreds of musicians and support members.
“Over the past year and a half, we have had to realize that there are some things that we simply can’t control,” Willis said. “We have decided to work hard and keep moving forward until someone tells us we have to stop.”
Which is exactly what marching band is, literally a step-by-step task.
There already have been challenges.
“Due to quarantines and students sick we have had to deal with many more absences at rehearsals and I know we will have those at performances as well,” Turner said. “We are having to do a lot more review to catch students up that have been absent for as much as two weeks.”
Still, hope is the show goes on.
“Don’t expect to see what you have seen in the past,” Yost said. “Some programs are smaller, many may not be at the same performance level as in the past due to higher absenteeism, and others may have a less complicated production anticipating the many challenges all of us are having to face.”
For musicians and fans, though, being back on the field brings both relief and joy no matter how unusual the season.
“I think the shows will still have a great deal of energy and the students are very excited to share their enthusiasm with an audience,” Yost said. “All of these kids are working hard and it isn’t about who is the best it’s about sharing that enthusiasm with others so we can all forget the challenges we face for a few hours.”
Want to go?
Gates open at 2 p.m. Saturday for the Carolinas Exhibition of Bands. Cost is $10, but children age 5 and younger get in free. Programs will be $5. There will be concessions.
This story was originally published September 16, 2021 at 10:35 AM.
