The Anniston Star’s
Band & Cheer ’09 Friday, November 6, 2009
sectional pride Where division brings unity, success
Page 4
View more photos of high school bands and cheerleaders at: www.annistonstar.com/pages/goteam
Page 2 Friday, November 6, 2009
The Anniston Star
www.annistonstar.com/pages/goteam
ranburne Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star
T
he Anniston Star, in this special section, salutes all our area’s band members and cheerleaders, whose hard work and dedication helped make this season a spirit-filled one for your team — win or lose. If you notice that your school isn’t represented here, don’t worry. This is just a smattering of what’s available online, where you can find photo galleries and full rosters of your school’s band and cheerleading squad. Check it all out at www.annistonstar.com/pages/ goteam and thanks for the memories.
jacksonville Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star
pleasant valley Krista Walker Harris/Special to The Star
weaver
Cover photos by Star Staff photographers Trent Penny, Bill Wilson and Stephen Gross.
anniston Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star
Stephen Gross/The Anniston Star
The Anniston Star
www.annistonstar.com/pages/goteam
Friday , November 6, 2009 Page 3
HAIL DAMAGE? On February 18, 2009 most all of Calhoun County homes suffered up to baseball size hail damage. Hail can cause severe damage to roofs that may not be visible from the ground.
HEART OF DIXIE ROOFING CO. is the only hail damage specialist in the local area. Call today and ask about how we can pay up to $500 on your deductible, which means most homeowners will get a new roof for free.
In Calhoun & Cleburne Counties Call
(256) 496-5216
Page 4 Friday, November 6, 2009
Friday , November 6, 2009 Page 7
sectional pride By: Gheni Platenburg Special to The Star
Staring up at the 55-pound, Conn 20-J Upright Recording bass tuba, it’s hard to imagine a bandsmen playing an up-tempo march, marching a precise 9-to-5 step, and managing to stay on the correct foot while holding the massive horn. However, the 30-member 20-J section of the Jacksonville State University Marching Southerners takes pride in it’s ability to successfully maneuver around the football field with their horns. “So play the basses, so play the band,” said 20-J section leader Matt “Jeeves” Weaver. Like most instrumental sections, the 20-Js have a strong sense of sectional pride, which many band directors agree helps marching bands achieve the coveted goal of one band, one sound. This unique sense of sectional pride begins with recognizing the role that each section plays in contributing to the success of the entire band. Marching Southerners band director Ken Bodiford said the percussion serves as the “heartbeat” of the band, while woodwinds, such as clarinets, flutes and saxophones, bring a “different color to the sound.” Brass instruments, such as trumpets, baritones, trombones and mellophones, bring the “the power and the volume,” he said. Weaver, however, said the tuba’s responsibility to the band transcends that of the typical brass instrument. “It’s like trying to build a house with a bad foundation,” said Weaver, who is a senior music education major. “If you don’t have a good, solid bass foundation, it doesn’t matter what else you throw on top of it, it’s not going to work.” Sectional pride is not a new concept. In fact, many musicians are drawn to a particular band because of their desire to march within a particular section. Anniston High School band director Ruben Mitchell explained this was one of the reasons why he chose his college alma mater. “The tuba section was always’ known as the showboaters,” he said. “The main reason I went to Alabama State is so I could play tuba in the marching band.” Individual sections often eat, work and play together. As a result, they develop extensive longlived sectional traditions that include mottos, uniforms and even bonding activities. Log onto http:20jmarchingsoutherners.org to learn more about the inner-workings of the 20-Js. A quote on the Web site reads: “It’s not just an instrument. It’s a state of mind.”
Just the sax, ma’am Delvante Peterson, 16, a junior saxophonist at Anniston High School, said many saxophone traditions begin when members are freshman. “We learned some stuff about the section leader before my section leader and the one before him,”
Where division brings unity, success
Trent Penny/The Anniston Star
The Marching Southerners perform at Grant Field in downtown Atlanta during the Gamecock’s game with Georgia Tech. said Peterson, who is also a drum major. Anniston High School Color Guard captain Quentressia White said learning history is emphasized as much as learning flag moves. “We learn the history behind our moves when we are learning them,” she said. “Some of the moves that we do come from years ago before we were born or even thought of.” White said her section strays away from the philosophy of out with the old in with the new, instead choosing to add to existing history. “We’re keeping the history in, but bringing some-
thing new to it from our generation,” said Mitchell. Referring to a first-year band members as a crab, rookie, slug or even a rat is also part of many sections’ traditions. Marching Southerners clarinet section leader Ploy Kurdmongkoltham, 21, said freshmen clarinets are referred to as rats. “The freshmen dress up as rats. They even wear with the nose and tail,” said the senior biology major. “They love doing it because it’s fun.” Kurdmongkoltham said this tradition dates back many years.
“I went to the 50th (band reunion), and there were alumni there who were like ‘Wow, we used to dress up, too,’” she said. “It was cool because she was one of the originals.” Depending on the section, freshman can also be assigned more personal nicknames. Weaver said he got the nickname “Jeeves” his freshman year in the band. “Nobody really knows me by my real name,” he said. “They all know me as Jeeves.” Named after the search engine, Ask Jeeves, Weaver said the name fits him well.
“Ask me anything, and I’ll have an answer for you,” he said.
Giving back Philanthropic work is also commonplace in sectional membership. “A lot of times we’ll have a group of folks go around and play at local schools or offer lessons to local kids,” Weaver said. Forty-year-old Dilmos “Chester” Hamilton served in the military and is co-section leader for the 20-Js at JSU. He said many marching band traditions stem from the military. “The first marching bands were military. It’s got the same structure, but it’s not as strict,” said the tuba co-section leader. “You can’t be because of the age of some of the people.” Bandsmen explained the benefits of learning to function within a section. Delreco Stevens, a 16-year-old sophomore trombonist at Anniston High, said it’s important for everyone in his section to know their music because of their small numbers. “It’s not that many of us, so it sticks out when someone plays the wrong note,” he said. Learning to function as one section also helps band members locate their positions on the field. “You have to be able to communicate with them during the show without speaking through, like, eye contact to know where your spot is,” said Jacksonville High School drum major Savannah Jones. “You really rely on each other. If one person is off, they can throw the whole section off.” While marching and playing are important, JSU drum major Ryan Morrell said having a good attitude is essential. “Our main thing is attitude,” he said. “Even if you aren’t the best player or the best marcher, if you have a good attitude, we’ll find a place for you in the band.” Anniston High’s Mitchell said these sectional traditions instill personal responsibility. “You feel like you need to perform better because, if you don’t, you’ll be making the person next to you look bad,” he said. “If you have each section trying to be the best, then of course the band is going to be better.” Although band directors like Mitchell support sectional bonding to make the band better, they say they are against crossing the line into hazing. “They always define hazing as making someone do something they don’t want to do,” Mitchell said. “Here at Anniston, I don’t promote any of that. We promote bonding through sectional unity and hard work, and to me that has been working.” Overall, students like Jones, the Jacksonville High drum major, said all the extra work that goes into sectional membership is worth it. “If you ever play a good show and the audience actually applauds, the feeling that you have is worth all the hours that you’ve been practicing, every bit of it.”
jacksonville state university Band director: Ken Bodiford. Band nickname: JSU Marching Southerners. Assistant band directors: Clint Gillespie and Jeremy Stovall. Number in band: 350. Section leaders: Brandy Cosby and Cedric Boyd, flutes; Ploy Kurdmongkolhotham and Lauren Nowak, clarinets; Eric Crook and Eric Thomas, saxophone; David Bailey and Zach Hill, trumpets; Jeremy Lockeridge and Hannah LaFollette, mellophones; Ian Pask and Alex Hinsley, baritones; Jon Brown and Casey Peacock, trombones; Matt Weaver and Dilmus Hamilton, 20J; and Taylor Cash and Kevin Kenney, percussion. Drum majors: Ryan Murrell, Tony McCarley, Peter Inglett and Allison Reed. Head color guard: Haley Frings, Lizzy DeGaetano and Cody Segers. Head dance line: Rachel Glass, Jessica O’Rear, Ashley VanDerBerg and Ramona Turpin. Halftime show: “Robert Jagerís Esprit De Corps opens the 2009 production. This staple of the concert band repertoire was composed for the United States Marine Band. “The dark, yet powerful symphonic sound of the Southerners is unleashed as woodwinds and brass soar through the melodic sections of the piece with military like precision. “Listen for hints of the National Anthem interwoven into the arrangement, as it becomes a unifying theme throughout the entire production — a symbolic nod to the country that is the unifying theme of us all . . . American society was shaken like never before during the era of World War II. “Music provided a welcomed release of the difficulties and tensions experienced during that time. Don Raye and Hughie Prince’s ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’ soared to popularity and remains arguably the most iconic World War II tune today. “The Ballerinas will be featured in this unique portrait of a time period as the Southerners transform the field into an almost cinematic display of choreography and color. It may seem like a light-hearted moment, but the technical abilities of the hornline (trumpets in particular) will be tested like never before in this brand new and searing arrangement! “The mood quickly changes as the Southerners mourn the loss and honor the sacrifice of the countless men and women who have given their lives in defense of the freedom we enjoy. Michael Kamen’s ‘Requiem for a Soldier’ from the hit television series Band of Brothers is presented as an elegy to the fallen heroes of the United States.
“Watch as a moving story line unfolds on the field. Just as you think the emotion couldn’t be any higher, the Southerners wash the audience in waves of sound with a powerful statement of Rolf Lovland and Brendan Graham’s ‘You Raise Me Up.’ This piece, used for the commemorations of the September 11th terrorist attacks, is the perfect soundtrack for what will appear before your eyes. “In a spectacle too moving to put into words, the Color Guard and Ballerinas will transform the entire field into a memorial of those who gave their lives to truly ‘raise us up’ to all that we could be. “Just wait until you see this . . . Before you can dry the tears, Finale 2009 begins in a subdued, yet hopeful tone. ‘America the Beautiful’ is heard underneath the faint statements of the songs of each branch of the United States Military. “These fleeting strains are symbolic of the souls of our fallen soldiers as they make their final journey from this life to the next . . . a truly unique and artistic moment that pushes the envelope of creativity and showcases the Southerners at the height of their powers. “Next, the Southerners percussion section is featured on a solo based upon ‘When Johnny Comes Marching Home.’ “The front ensemble and batterie have a reputation for intensity and precision, and this year’s drum solo delivers just that. The world of marching percussion will be raised to standards that don’t even exist . . . Over the past few years the ‘push’ has become the moment everybody talks about. “This year, ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ brings the show home, as the Southerners form a company front and push the sidelines back several hundred feet. “Watch as the Color Guard paints the field in red, white and blue, while the raw power of the Marching Southerners brings this production to a close . . . so you think. “Just when you think you can’t take anymore, the Southerners launch into one final statement with blistering tempos, modulations, and drill moves never attempted until now. “Prepare to be amazed! 2009 JSU Marching Southerners: ‘Of Thee I Sing’ is a celebration of the spirit of America: A country tried by the fires of war, tempered by the hardships of depression, yet fortified in the strength of honor, sacrifice, and pride. “When the clouds of division and differences are broken by the dawnís early light, there we stand as One. “We are America . . . and we are proud.”
Page 4 Friday, November 6, 2009
Friday , November 6, 2009 Page 7
sectional pride By: Gheni Platenburg Special to The Star
Staring up at the 55-pound, Conn 20-J Upright Recording bass tuba, it’s hard to imagine a bandsmen playing an up-tempo march, marching a precise 9-to-5 step, and managing to stay on the correct foot while holding the massive horn. However, the 30-member 20-J section of the Jacksonville State University Marching Southerners takes pride in it’s ability to successfully maneuver around the football field with their horns. “So play the basses, so play the band,” said 20-J section leader Matt “Jeeves” Weaver. Like most instrumental sections, the 20-Js have a strong sense of sectional pride, which many band directors agree helps marching bands achieve the coveted goal of one band, one sound. This unique sense of sectional pride begins with recognizing the role that each section plays in contributing to the success of the entire band. Marching Southerners band director Ken Bodiford said the percussion serves as the “heartbeat” of the band, while woodwinds, such as clarinets, flutes and saxophones, bring a “different color to the sound.” Brass instruments, such as trumpets, baritones, trombones and mellophones, bring the “the power and the volume,” he said. Weaver, however, said the tuba’s responsibility to the band transcends that of the typical brass instrument. “It’s like trying to build a house with a bad foundation,” said Weaver, who is a senior music education major. “If you don’t have a good, solid bass foundation, it doesn’t matter what else you throw on top of it, it’s not going to work.” Sectional pride is not a new concept. In fact, many musicians are drawn to a particular band because of their desire to march within a particular section. Anniston High School band director Ruben Mitchell explained this was one of the reasons why he chose his college alma mater. “The tuba section was always’ known as the showboaters,” he said. “The main reason I went to Alabama State is so I could play tuba in the marching band.” Individual sections often eat, work and play together. As a result, they develop extensive longlived sectional traditions that include mottos, uniforms and even bonding activities. Log onto http:20jmarchingsoutherners.org to learn more about the inner-workings of the 20-Js. A quote on the Web site reads: “It’s not just an instrument. It’s a state of mind.”
Just the sax, ma’am Delvante Peterson, 16, a junior saxophonist at Anniston High School, said many saxophone traditions begin when members are freshman. “We learned some stuff about the section leader before my section leader and the one before him,”
Where division brings unity, success
Trent Penny/The Anniston Star
The Marching Southerners perform at Grant Field in downtown Atlanta during the Gamecock’s game with Georgia Tech. said Peterson, who is also a drum major. Anniston High School Color Guard captain Quentressia White said learning history is emphasized as much as learning flag moves. “We learn the history behind our moves when we are learning them,” she said. “Some of the moves that we do come from years ago before we were born or even thought of.” White said her section strays away from the philosophy of out with the old in with the new, instead choosing to add to existing history. “We’re keeping the history in, but bringing some-
thing new to it from our generation,” said Mitchell. Referring to a first-year band members as a crab, rookie, slug or even a rat is also part of many sections’ traditions. Marching Southerners clarinet section leader Ploy Kurdmongkoltham, 21, said freshmen clarinets are referred to as rats. “The freshmen dress up as rats. They even wear with the nose and tail,” said the senior biology major. “They love doing it because it’s fun.” Kurdmongkoltham said this tradition dates back many years.
“I went to the 50th (band reunion), and there were alumni there who were like ‘Wow, we used to dress up, too,’” she said. “It was cool because she was one of the originals.” Depending on the section, freshman can also be assigned more personal nicknames. Weaver said he got the nickname “Jeeves” his freshman year in the band. “Nobody really knows me by my real name,” he said. “They all know me as Jeeves.” Named after the search engine, Ask Jeeves, Weaver said the name fits him well.
“Ask me anything, and I’ll have an answer for you,” he said.
Giving back Philanthropic work is also commonplace in sectional membership. “A lot of times we’ll have a group of folks go around and play at local schools or offer lessons to local kids,” Weaver said. Forty-year-old Dilmos “Chester” Hamilton served in the military and is co-section leader for the 20-Js at JSU. He said many marching band traditions stem from the military. “The first marching bands were military. It’s got the same structure, but it’s not as strict,” said the tuba co-section leader. “You can’t be because of the age of some of the people.” Bandsmen explained the benefits of learning to function within a section. Delreco Stevens, a 16-year-old sophomore trombonist at Anniston High, said it’s important for everyone in his section to know their music because of their small numbers. “It’s not that many of us, so it sticks out when someone plays the wrong note,” he said. Learning to function as one section also helps band members locate their positions on the field. “You have to be able to communicate with them during the show without speaking through, like, eye contact to know where your spot is,” said Jacksonville High School drum major Savannah Jones. “You really rely on each other. If one person is off, they can throw the whole section off.” While marching and playing are important, JSU drum major Ryan Morrell said having a good attitude is essential. “Our main thing is attitude,” he said. “Even if you aren’t the best player or the best marcher, if you have a good attitude, we’ll find a place for you in the band.” Anniston High’s Mitchell said these sectional traditions instill personal responsibility. “You feel like you need to perform better because, if you don’t, you’ll be making the person next to you look bad,” he said. “If you have each section trying to be the best, then of course the band is going to be better.” Although band directors like Mitchell support sectional bonding to make the band better, they say they are against crossing the line into hazing. “They always define hazing as making someone do something they don’t want to do,” Mitchell said. “Here at Anniston, I don’t promote any of that. We promote bonding through sectional unity and hard work, and to me that has been working.” Overall, students like Jones, the Jacksonville High drum major, said all the extra work that goes into sectional membership is worth it. “If you ever play a good show and the audience actually applauds, the feeling that you have is worth all the hours that you’ve been practicing, every bit of it.”
jacksonville state university Band director: Ken Bodiford. Band nickname: JSU Marching Southerners. Assistant band directors: Clint Gillespie and Jeremy Stovall. Number in band: 350. Section leaders: Brandy Cosby and Cedric Boyd, flutes; Ploy Kurdmongkolhotham and Lauren Nowak, clarinets; Eric Crook and Eric Thomas, saxophone; David Bailey and Zach Hill, trumpets; Jeremy Lockeridge and Hannah LaFollette, mellophones; Ian Pask and Alex Hinsley, baritones; Jon Brown and Casey Peacock, trombones; Matt Weaver and Dilmus Hamilton, 20J; and Taylor Cash and Kevin Kenney, percussion. Drum majors: Ryan Murrell, Tony McCarley, Peter Inglett and Allison Reed. Head color guard: Haley Frings, Lizzy DeGaetano and Cody Segers. Head dance line: Rachel Glass, Jessica O’Rear, Ashley VanDerBerg and Ramona Turpin. Halftime show: “Robert Jagerís Esprit De Corps opens the 2009 production. This staple of the concert band repertoire was composed for the United States Marine Band. “The dark, yet powerful symphonic sound of the Southerners is unleashed as woodwinds and brass soar through the melodic sections of the piece with military like precision. “Listen for hints of the National Anthem interwoven into the arrangement, as it becomes a unifying theme throughout the entire production — a symbolic nod to the country that is the unifying theme of us all . . . American society was shaken like never before during the era of World War II. “Music provided a welcomed release of the difficulties and tensions experienced during that time. Don Raye and Hughie Prince’s ‘Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’ soared to popularity and remains arguably the most iconic World War II tune today. “The Ballerinas will be featured in this unique portrait of a time period as the Southerners transform the field into an almost cinematic display of choreography and color. It may seem like a light-hearted moment, but the technical abilities of the hornline (trumpets in particular) will be tested like never before in this brand new and searing arrangement! “The mood quickly changes as the Southerners mourn the loss and honor the sacrifice of the countless men and women who have given their lives in defense of the freedom we enjoy. Michael Kamen’s ‘Requiem for a Soldier’ from the hit television series Band of Brothers is presented as an elegy to the fallen heroes of the United States.
“Watch as a moving story line unfolds on the field. Just as you think the emotion couldn’t be any higher, the Southerners wash the audience in waves of sound with a powerful statement of Rolf Lovland and Brendan Graham’s ‘You Raise Me Up.’ This piece, used for the commemorations of the September 11th terrorist attacks, is the perfect soundtrack for what will appear before your eyes. “In a spectacle too moving to put into words, the Color Guard and Ballerinas will transform the entire field into a memorial of those who gave their lives to truly ‘raise us up’ to all that we could be. “Just wait until you see this . . . Before you can dry the tears, Finale 2009 begins in a subdued, yet hopeful tone. ‘America the Beautiful’ is heard underneath the faint statements of the songs of each branch of the United States Military. “These fleeting strains are symbolic of the souls of our fallen soldiers as they make their final journey from this life to the next . . . a truly unique and artistic moment that pushes the envelope of creativity and showcases the Southerners at the height of their powers. “Next, the Southerners percussion section is featured on a solo based upon ‘When Johnny Comes Marching Home.’ “The front ensemble and batterie have a reputation for intensity and precision, and this year’s drum solo delivers just that. The world of marching percussion will be raised to standards that don’t even exist . . . Over the past few years the ‘push’ has become the moment everybody talks about. “This year, ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ brings the show home, as the Southerners form a company front and push the sidelines back several hundred feet. “Watch as the Color Guard paints the field in red, white and blue, while the raw power of the Marching Southerners brings this production to a close . . . so you think. “Just when you think you can’t take anymore, the Southerners launch into one final statement with blistering tempos, modulations, and drill moves never attempted until now. “Prepare to be amazed! 2009 JSU Marching Southerners: ‘Of Thee I Sing’ is a celebration of the spirit of America: A country tried by the fires of war, tempered by the hardships of depression, yet fortified in the strength of honor, sacrifice, and pride. “When the clouds of division and differences are broken by the dawnís early light, there we stand as One. “We are America . . . and we are proud.”
Page 6 Friday, November 6, 2009
The Anniston Star
www.annistonstar.com/pages/goteam
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Friday, November 6, 2009 Page 7
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Bill Wilson/The Anniston Star
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Page 8 Friday, November 6, 2009
The Anniston Star
www.annistonstar.com/pages/goteam
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