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Granite Bay Gazette wFriday, February 7, 2020
Students leave band for other activities Commitment involved has led a number of students to take up other pursuits vs. GBHS Emerald Brigade
strange that it’s my class.” It is also worth noting that almost all students who have left the GBHS program are continuing their music careers outside of high school. very high school has its staple programs. For “Honestly, I just think it wasn’t entirely their Whitney, it’s their stellar media department. thing, and that’s OK,” Batiste said. “I want people For Del Oro, it’s their wide variety of sports to do what’s best for them and if leaving is what’s programs. For Granite Bay High, it’s not only our best, that’s what they have to do.” sport and tech programs, but an award-winning Many of those who are leaving and continuing band to back it up. their careers say that they will always be passionWhile the majority of band members typically ate about music, no matter the program they’re decide to spend all four years in the program, some involved in. instead move on to other musical endeavors. Since “I started getting involved in drum corps ... it was the beginning of the spring semester, a number of such a load on my plate that I decided to weigh the juniors and seniors have taken this path. positives and negatives,” said Nick Sanchez, a senior “It happens every year,” said muwho stayed in the program sic teacher and band director Lynn until the recent season switch. Lewis, who has been running the While the band is able to program for 15 years. “Students perform incredible shows, decide to move on to something Students decide to move this comes at a cost of around else, and we always respect their on to something else, and 30 hours a week of practice, decision.” which can add up quickly and While a portion of students do easily overwhelm participants. eventually leave the band each year, we always respect their “I try to put my mental it doesn’t affect those who are still decision. health first, and more often performing much. than not I’ll do something to – Lynn Lewis, “The students we have here are please others rather than helpgreat,” Lewis said. “We have three GBHS band director ing myself, so I wanted to put (seniors) in honor band right now, myself first this time and make and Amanda Batiste is one of the sure I’m happy,” Sanchez said. best presidents we’ve ever had.” Keaton Brasse, a senior who While there is a large multitude of students who joined freshman year and had been drumming since began their band careers in high school, an even middle school, said his experience was similar. larger portion of the musicians performing come “It was something that made me very happy for from middle school band programs. Senior Amanda a long time that I was very passionate about, but Batiste, the band president, had been performing in the balance of the time commitment and what I band for years before coming to GBHS. felt I was getting out of it shifted to where it was no Although most who have left between seasons are longer proportional,” Brasse said. in her grade, Batiste is sticking through until the Gazette photo /LINDSEY ZABELL While both he and Sanchez said that the experiend of her leadership role. ence overall was a net positive, it was time for him “I mean, a lot of the time people quit between Senior Annika Vaatveit plays the clarinet alongside other members of the Emerald to move on. marching season and concert season, so it’s not Brigade on the sidelines of a home GBHS football game, like most Friday nights for band. “If it ain’t lit, it ain’t it,” Brasse said. too out of the usual,” Batiste said. “I just think it’s
BY JJ HILL
jhill.gazette@gmail.com
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Gazette illustration/SOPHIE CRISCIONE
