MCHS band offers patriotic production

Golding said the first movement is called “Shades of Shenandoah”

“It’s about the letter Abraham Lincoln sent to Mrs. Bixby on the loss of her five sons in the war,” said Golding.

The band director said there will be 8’ by 4’ printings in the back of the field, which will be covered with curtains and unveiled throughout the show. Images include Lincoln, Arlington National Cemetery, the Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima, John John Kennedy saluting his father’s casket, Martin Luther King Jr., the Vietnam War, the Oklahoma City bombing and the 9/11 attacks.

After the fireball image of the 9/11 attacks, there will be silence.

“Then, we’ll unveil the Statue of Liberty and the band will play ‘Amazing Grace,’” said Golding.

The band director said the students are handling the production well. Beyond the music and the on-field choreography, the production is a learning lesson for MCHS band members in other ways.

“We had several war vets come speak to the students and we showed the kids an hour long documentary on Sept. 11, because we felt like they needed to have some perspective to be able to understand who we were paying tribute to and who we were honoring,” said Golding. “Some of them told me after they watched the video that they had never seen the planes actually fly into the building. It was very moving for them.”

The band director said there will be 97 band and color guard members on the field this year, the largest roster in Golding’s four years. This includes 13 seniors (eight on wind instruments, five on percussion). Kara Taylor, the new chorus director at MCHS, is serving at the color guard instructor.

Golding said the summer practice went very well, with no one quitting, despite the heat at the lengthy July camps.

“This is the best band camp we’ve had in my four years here,” said Golding. “I definitely feel like they’re farther along than they’ve been at this point of the year than before. I’m so thrilled with this group.”