NHS Marching Band Camp 2000 —

Band Strives To Keep Moving Up To The Theme Of ‘City Of Angels’

By Tanjua Damon

“Watch your stride on your backup… You have to go into an eight to five stride… Watch your side to step.”

When you think of camp, sometimes a cloudy, dreary day comes to mind. Well, Newtown High School Marching Band members had that typical day this week, as they began their annual band camp aimed at learning this year’s new Broadway theme, “City of Angels.”

Not only was it cold, cloudy, and early on Monday morning, but Marching and Motivation Coordinator Bob Findley was making demands, directing the marchers to get into gear, telling them which way and how to march in the Newtown High School parking lot.

NHS Band Director James Dumas has been the band director at Newtown High for two and one half years. He is excited about this year’s marching band and the over eight-minute energetic program the NHS Marching Band will perform in nine competitions this year, along with all of the home football games.

 “We are about 140 members strong with 35 new kids. Roughly we have the same turnover each year and it becomes a part of the process. By the time they are seniors, they are old hats at it,” Mr Dumas said. “It is rewarding for me as their teacher to see a rank beginner become a section leader or drum major.”

With seven new staff members, the Nighthawks Marching Band is preparing for its busiest competition year to date, according to Mr Dumas. NHS competes in the Eastern Marching Band Association circuit.

“We have been going upwards for the past two years,” he said. “It has happened because of the kids’ willingness to put out the best product possible. This is really all about the kids. We are extremely excited as a staff for this year’s show.”

The marching band will have three drum majors – Greg Chion, Andrew Portnoy, and Aly Themel. As drum majors, the three will gain a different perspective on the band than those members playing instruments and different experiences that will provide them with skills they can take into the future.

Andrew, a senior, started in band playing the trombone. He thought being a drum major would be fun and allow him to gain skills to motivate his fellow band members.

“I think it will be fun to lead the band,” he said. “I think I can motivate the band, try to make the band better, and give people a reason to continue in band.”

Aly, also a senior and a clarinet player, agreed that being a drum major will be fun, but she also wanted to gain some different skills to take to college.

“I’m considering majoring in music in college. This is a great experience for me. I hope to get the experience in leadership abilities and it will be easier for my decision making,” she said. “I really enjoy band. It’s a whole other way of expressing yourself.”

The band will also be practicing Monday and Thursday evenings once school begins under new lights on the practice field thanks to the Band Booster and School District, according to Mr Dumas.

The Band Booster helps the NHS band with fundraising to provide monies to travel to competitions and buy new uniforms, and also handles the home competition, the Joseph P. Grasso Festival, to be held on October 13, at which six bands will compete.

This year’s marching band competition dates are as follows: September 23 at Bethel; October 6 at Trumbull; October 7 at Hofstra, N.Y.; October 13 Home Show; October 14 at Mahopac H.S., N.Y.; October 21 at Shelton; October 28 at Danbury; November 4 at Norwalk; and November 18 at EMBA Championship (Kennedy Stadium).

Even though winning is nice, Mr Dumas said, the more important thing to him is that the band members have fun and enjoy what they are doing.

“I would like to have the kids have the most positive experience possible,” he said. “I want them to focus on the activity, learn the activity, and enjoy themselves as they do it.”

The community can attend a camp show performance on August 18 at 8:30 pm in the Newtown High School parking lot.