is the Bayless Marching Bronchos’

Jett Bono, a multifaceted musician and composer, has been one of the driving forces behind the momentum of the Bayless Bands this year. He has an impressive range of talents, and is something of a jack-of-all-trades in the music world.

He plays a variety of instruments, from the horn to the ocarina, can sing baritone, tenor and bass, has composed multiple arrangements the band has performed, and can play by ear. If he hears a piece played, he can replicate it without the sheet music.

Thanks in-part to Jett’s contributions, the Bayless Bands have taken their momentum to new heights. There have been plenty of things to overcome and figure out along the way. Adversity often presents an opportunity to rise and build momentum towards something greater. And that’s precisely what the students at Bayless High School did.

In late 2020, although they were unable to conduct in person, the program’s dedication and hard work shone through when they recorded a video of the concert band performing literature that received an “Outstanding” rating at the MSHSAA Large Group Festival.

This success only fueled the students’ desire to keep striving for excellence. Two years ago, the Marching Bronchos returned to normal rehearsals and fielded the show “aRose.” The band’s dedication and hard work paid off as they received numerous awards and accolades, including Best Music Performance, Best Visual Performance and Best Overall General Effect.

“Momentum for me, and probably most people in band, is the drive to be the very best at competitions,” Ahmed Al-Robaie said. “Through each practice, we keep going, and by the end of it, you feel proud of yourself for being able to put on not only a show but a smile on people’s faces.”

The momentum from the Marching Bronchos’ success carried over into one of the concert band’s best seasons. It received an overall “Exemplary” rating for the first time in recent memory.

In 2022, the program received an unprecedented 11 caption awards, three First Place finishes, and two performances in Finals. The students took ownership of their success, practicing before and after school, during Ac Lab, and even on weekends.

“Momentum to me means, getting rid of the little things that are holding you back to gain the larger things that keep moving you forward,” Almedina Hozdic said. “A personal reflection

I have of the momentum our band has gained this year is, no matter how hard it got — we kept pushing forward and our hard work paid off. From hour-long practices to hot weather the band kept pushing to learn and finish our show, and this paid off in the competition awards.”

The momentum of the program’s success also inspired individual students to push themselves to new heights. Bono successfully auditioned for the St. Louis All-Suburban Band and the Missouri All-State Band, becoming one of the first Bayless student to receive this honor.

“When I think of momentum, the first thing that comes to mind in the band program is how much dedication it takes to work as a group,” Savannah Krull said. “At the end of marching season it truly pays off to see the end result and to be able to celebrate with all of your peers that have worked hard to reach the same goal — momentum, ‘quantity of motion of a moving body.’

“During a field show we all have to move as one and try to keep as much patience and peace when creating a new set, which can be hard but is so rewarding when you can come together as a whole to create something you want to watch and perform something amazing. Momentum is the Bayless Marching Bronchos.”