About the Band

Cary High School Marching Band

MUSICAL AMBASSADORS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL AND CARY

HISTORY OF THE MARCHING BAND

Celebrating its 86th anniversary this year, the Cary High Marching Band is one of the most visible and active groups on the campus. It includes most woodwind and brass instruments, percussion, and color guard; membership is open to any Cary High student who displays proficiency in any of the areas noted above.

The Band sometimes has a "trip" year which involves going to an out-of-state performance over Christmas or Spring Break. Some of these trips have included three Tournament of Roses Parades, appearances at college football games from the Orange Bowl to Cotton Bowl, and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Its most recent bowl appearance, the 1995-96 Gator Bowl Festival, saw the Band sweep the awards. In 1998, the Band represented Cary at the London New Year's Day Parade and presented concerts in Cary's sister city, Le Touquet, in France. In 2000 the band returned to Le Touquet, with a trip to Bruges, Belgium, a performance at EuroDisney, and a visit to Paris.

BAND PARTICIPATION BENEFITS

Band students learn more than just marching and music. They develop skills of responsibility, teamwork, and leadership that prepare them for life. Hard work, dedication and commitment by its members are key ingredients that make the Cary Band successful. The Band pushes toward new levels of performance each year; excellence has always been a tradition that every student strives to uphold. Due to the amount of time the students spend in practice, travel, and competition close friendships and a feeling of camaraderie develop.

Rising 9th grade students who want to participate in the Band program need to notify their Band directors in Middle School. They will be expected to attend Band Camp in late July to learn the program for the Fall season. Students who move into our district during the early part of the school year can also join.

MARCHING COMPETITION PREPARATION

Although the Band's competition season starts at the end of September, the preparations for that show start in January when the "theme" of the show and actual musical score are chosen. Practices start in March and continue to the end of the school year. The Drum lines, Horn lines, guard, and woodwinds meet after school; rising 9th graders come to Cary to practice. By the time July Band Camp arrives, the show has been written for the band and guard, music has been rehearsed, and props and flags are being made.

Band Camp is traditionally held at the end of the summer prior to school opening. The band students intensively work at camp. Marching basics are learned and they are introduced to the new marching "sets" that make up the new shows. These practices continue after the school year starts and during the competition season as changes are made and the show fine-tuned.

The Band's competition season starts at the end of September and continues every week-end until Cary Band Day, usually the first or second weekend in November. Some Saturdays the Band will go to two competitions in one day. This involves leaving Cary around 7AM on a Saturday, and not returning until 2AM Sunday. If there is a home Football game prior to a competition, the Band has to leave after their half-time show, in order to pack uniforms, instruments, pit equipment, flags and props in the transport trailer that night.

By the end of one season, all the practice sessions, including Band Camp will add up to over 200 hours for this one show. This does not include performances at half time at Cary's football games.

CARY BAND DAY

This past year, Cary High School Band held the 46th Cary Band Day; this is the longest running band competition in the Southeastern United States. Many bands from North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina participate in this community event. The competition sees up to 40 bands compete for prizes not only for field competition, but also the Cary Parade. As host Band, Cary presents two performances, but does not compete. The Band students, Booster parents, and Alumni strive to provide the best experience possible for competing bands and many hours of planning and work go into an event that runs from 10:00AM to midnight.

BANDS AT CARY HIGH

Symphonic Band

This group encompasses the advanced performers of the band; they represent the school at performances locally and on the national level. It also provides the woodwind and brass voices for the music department orchestra.

Concert Band

Membership is open to all students; emphasis is on improving basic playing skills. Programs include a variety of performances at a level suited to the talents of its members.

Jazz Ensemble

This class studies and performs various forms of popular music and the styles that are associated with jazz, rock and Latin music. Improvisation is an integral part of the course with ample time given to students who are learning improvisation.

This group has performed for:

Governor Hunt
Cary chamber of Commerce
Mayor Koka Booth
Le Touquet, France
"Knights Arm" Pub, London, England

Marching Band

The Marching Band performs at Cary High School Football Games, parades, local and national field show competitions, and selected community activities.

Percussion Ensemble

This group is composed of all the percussion players in the band program. Students are taught rudimentary techniques for contemporary percussion playing. They provide percussion parts for all performing ensembles, as well as their own ensemble literature.

CARY BAND BOOSTERS CLUB

Mission Statement:

The Cary Band Boosters is a legally incorporated non-profit organization, organized to support the Cary High School Band and its Directors in musical education and enjoyment. The purposes of this Club are to:

(1) promote means and opportunities for the education of the public with respect to the study and culture of instrumental music and the enjoyment and wholesome utilization thereof,

(2) solicit, collect, and otherwise handle and dispose of funds in the promotion of the activities of the Cary High School Band (with the advice and counsel from the Band Director and School Principal),

(3) assist the public within the Cary area in promoting and developing an outstanding music education program, and

(4) seek the cooperation of other organizations and groups in the Cary area in promoting Cary Band Day.

Membership:

Parents of all the band students make up the membership of this organization and manage the logistic problems of transporting equipment, instruments, and students to competitions. Volunteer parents also sew all the Band's flags, capes, sashes as well as design and make the necessary props each year. They make and serve dinner to the entire Band and staff during Band Camp, and provide sports drinks, water, snacks, and meals during home performances or away competitions. In their spare time, they line the practice fields, issue and inspect all uniforms, shoes, and ditty bags, pack the trailer, load the uniforms, chaperone the buses, supply medical assistance, transport the pit equipment on the field at competitions, and much, much more. In addition, they contribute countless hours of fund raising to help the Band meet expenses.

AWARD AND RECOGNITION DINNER FOR ALL BAND STUDENTS AND PARENTS

Every May, a dinner and Jazz Band concert end the year's activities. Parents and students celebrate the end of another year, and letters, bars, individual awards, and a scholarship are awarded to students who have earned them. New Booster officers are recognized as they officially accept positions for the next year's Band, and Senior students receive their plaques and appreciation for the contributions they have made to the success of the musical programs at Cary High School.

Yearly Contributions to Cary High Programs:

Music for Drama Club plays
Woodwind, brass and percussion support for Orchestra
Pep Band for football and basketball games
Half-time entertainment at football games
Graduation performances
Music for school sports rallies
Music for school assemblies
Cary High representation at state and national field competitions (Nationally ranked)

Local Representation:

Lazy Daze
Governors' Inauguration parades
Three to four Christmas parades

In all these performances, Cary Band is the visual symbol of our school and community. When the Band performs outside of Cary, it may be giving others their first impression of our high school and town. The Band has long had a reputation for "standing out" as a well-disciplined, visually exciting, musically accomplished band that has consistently won awards in difficult competitions.

The Band is the largest organized competing team at the high school that has to work together and produce winning results. No one is ever sitting on the bench, all members are required to perform at the same time for every competition, and the equivalent of 7 football teams are doing precision movements while playing difficult music.

When the announcers at field shows say "Cary High School, you may enter the Field of Competition", like Cary High's athletic teams, the Band is putting their hours of practice and hard work and talent on the line to represent our school; they have a Tradition of Excellence.