WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) – The City View Mustang Band is marching their way towards the UIL Academics state marching contest next week in San Antonio.
City View High School Band Director Branson Spencer said that words cannot describe how proud he is of his students for making it to state.
“This is the first time we’ve been to State since 2007. I was an eighth grader at that time and I was very fortunate to be a part of that with my old band director, Ms. Terah K. Shawver, who inspired me to kind of go into this,” Spencer said.
The band is made up of multiple grades, from eighth graders all the way up to seniors, who compete in Class 3a with schools like Iowa Park and Holliday. Band members put in hours upon hours of practice, starting before the school year even began. The marching band is an intense sport where countless practice hours have paid off with a chance to win the biggest prize.
“We start just like every other marching band in the State of Texas, kind of like the same time as football in July, and we work on fundamentals,” Spencer explained. “Here is the music; let’s work together; what do you want to do? We as a band staff have pride, or I take pride in our team here at City View.”
Band members of the Chargin’ Thunderin’ Mustang band share their love for music and the band. One senior said that the journey to get to the state has been a fun one.
“I am very excited. I actually came to City View my freshman year, and I didn’t get to march with the band because of when I got here, but all the years after that, it’s just been a pleasure to advance every year from region all the way to State,“ she said.
A City View junior followed her family’s footsteps and went a step beyond.
“My little sister played the flute, but ever since then, I just found a passion in playing the flute and in band. After I marched my eighth-grade year, I had a feeling I wanted to be a drum major, and so I went ahead and achieved that dream,“ she said.
While winning the state would be the ultimate achievement, just being part of the band community in Texoma makes it worthwhile.
“We have a lot of friendly competition around the area, but at the end of the day, we just all love playing music,” said director Spencer. “We all love being together and having that community, and, again, that safe place for these kids to be able to come in, be artistic, and just be able to show off.”
The Holliday Eagles will also advance to state in Class 3a; both bands will compete at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Wednesday.
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