GSHS Marchers Band Together
When Garden Spot High School (GSHS) band director Rich Fitz was searching for a musical theme for the 2021 fall marching band drill, he was looking for something that would wow audiences. "(I wanted to) let the crowd know we're back," said Fitz, who noticed band students talking about "The Greatest Showman" and decided to give the music a try. "The arrangements I found have worked out really well," said Fitz, who wrote the drill himself.
Band camp was held at GSHS from July 26 through 30, with morning sessions from 8 a.m. to noon and evening sessions from 6:30 p.m. until the light faded. Because of construction in the stadium, the camp was held at the field adjacent to the tennis courts. About 100 students turned out for camp, led by Fitz and assistant teachers Colton Henry and Laura Henry, who instructs the color guard. Veronica Fox, Lejla Hamzic, and Bryna Kelly serve as drum majors. The band includes 21 color guard members. Band boosters set up a tent at one end of the field where they provided snack foods and shade during camp. Theme nights, which encouraged students to dress up for the evening practice, included "Olympics/USA," "Wild West," and section night, among others. On Friday night, parents were invited to come and watch the group perform the fall drill.
The big top theme of a show called "The Greatest Showman" gave Fitz the opportunity to incorporate circus elements into the drill, including a tightrope walk and a surprise finale. Color guard members will work with a variety of props, including sabres, rifles, 5-foot flags, ribbons, swing flags, and massive flags, and they will also dress as characters from "The Greatest Showman." The show will start off with "The Greatest Show," which Hamzic referred to as "fast and bubbly." The ballad, which is "Never Enough," will transition into "From Now On." Kelly explained that "Never Enough" moves slowly, but "From Now On" picks up the pace, presenting challenges in both the drill and the music. The final song, "This Is Me," will feature a trumpet solo by Finn Wenrich. Color guard duets in "Never Enough" will be performed by Maggie Bauer and Taylor Martin and in "This Is Me" by Mimi Whenry and Sarah Babb.
In the summer of 2020, there was no band camp due to COVID-19 restrictions. Fitz said that being able to have camp again feels nice. "It was obvious from the first day that the kids are excited to be here," he said. "They are so energetic and happy."
Section leader Emma Kauffman echoed Fitz's sentiments about being together, saying. "We built a lot of relationships (during camp)."
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