Veterans Memorial High School became the first Corpus Christi school to compete at the Bands of America San Antonio Super Regional Championship on Nov. 7.
Bands of America is a program of Music for All, a nonprofit educational organization.
Competing against 74 other Texas high schools, the Corpus Christi Independent School District high school placed 66th.
Marco Mellone, director of bands at Veterans Memorial, said he told his students they were truly competing against the best in the state.
Veterans Memorial High School’s marching band performs at the Bands of America San Antonio Super Regional Championship in San Antonio on Nov. 7.
”The whole purpose of going to Bands of America was to expose our students to the best,” Mellone said inside his office as the sound of students playing percussion instruments in his classroom filled the air. “They were able to see the top of the top.
“I always grew up with the mindset, ‘If you want to be good at something, you surround yourself with people who are better.’ We watch, observe and soak up as much as we can to apply to ourselves.”
The band performed the production it showed at the district’s Halftime Showcase, “The King of Horror,” a performance inspired by the works of author Stephen King.
Mellone said the band will use the judges’ comments to improve before next year’s regional championship.
“The feedback was that the group has a lot of potential,” said Mellone, who is in his second year at Veterans Memorial. “We’re doing a lot of the right things, but we need to continue to refine fundamentals and artistry. Some fundamentals we need to refine are phrasing, like musicianship. When you start playing a musical sentence, we start it well but don’t finish it at the same level. It’s about building stamina and consistency.”
Junior Allison Fields, who plays the flute, said she thinks the band needs to have more confidence.
“Everyone was shaking,” Fields said. “It was our first time there, but even the volunteers could see us shaking because they asked if we were OK. We need to have that mindset of knowing we deserve to be there.”
Veterans Memorial High School’s band performs at the Corpus Christi Independent School District Halftime Showcase at Cabaniss Field on Oct. 7.
In the band of 150 students, about 100 are freshmen.
Emily O’Donnell, a freshman who plays the flute, said she did have nerves when performing, but she was more excited for the band trying to put Corpus Christi on the map. Sophomore Wrigley Mitchan, who plays the tuba, said the competition may have not been the band’s best but that he is proud to have been a part of it and is looking forward to next year’s.
But for seniors David Prado II and Xhane Kirby, their days of participating in band competitions are coming to a close as they get ready to graduate at the end of the school year.
Prado said it was exciting to attend the regionals championship and that he’s grateful for Mellone, who Prado said elevated the band’s shows.
“I’ll always remember Bands of America,” said Prado, who plays the bass drum. “I put my best performance onto that field, and I’m proud of what I left there.”
Veterans Memorial High School’s marching band is pictured at the Bands of America San Antonio Super Regional Championship in San Antonio on Nov. 7.
Flutist Kirby said she hopes the band eventually competes at the Bands of America Grand National Championship because it would show “how talented Corpus Christi really is.”
“This experience was very eye-opening,” Kirby said. “It showed all of us how serious and important band is. Incoming freshmen need to not be afraid to show out when they perform. They need to give it their all and then some.”
Mellone said he does have aspirations for his students to compete at the national championship in the future.
“I know we can get there,” Mellone said. “I know they can give it their all. They just need to know it’s OK to not win, but allow every experience we have to elevate them for the next one and be better.”
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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Have a story idea? Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Veterans Memorial musicians compete at Bands of America