Hometown News: » Whitmire Band Goes Patriotic


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Whitmire Band Goes Patriotic

When Band Director Rob Gunning announced that the 2009 Royal Regiment Marching Band show was going to be about America, there were some that were a bit skeptical. “We’re going to do a marching show about America the way no one has ever done it before,” explained Gunning.
The band begins their show in a tight circle in the middle of the field, but within seconds, they expand to a large block formation with red, white, and blue streamers between their lines, simulating an American flag, while playing a section of America the Beautiful. But it isn’t long before the band shifts gears into a rock beat, and into a medley of classics including “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” by John Mellencamp with trumpet soloist Derek Long, “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen, and “Living in America” by James Brown. The section of the show is subtitled “Red” because of the red flags featured with the Colorguard.
The second selection for the marching band show is subtitled “Blue,” and is based on the Simon and Garfunkel song “(Look for) America.” Here the clarinet section is featured in the opening verse, followed by a saxophone duet of Kylin and Tanoy Hunter, with a low brass ensemble accompaniment. By the end of the selection the band sings, “All gone to look for America” while searching the field for their dream.
From the Broadway musical West Side Story, the third selection in the show is the Hispanic flavored “America.” The selection features the Percussion section, trombone soloist Andrew Gunning, Tuba soloist David Andrews, and the Colorguard with white scarves, white flags, and Spanish dances, thus earning the subtitle “White.”
Pulling the show together, the band finishes their show with “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” by Toby Keith. After a solo guitar introduction by Andrew Gunning imitating Jimi Hendrix’s version of the Star-Spangled Banner, Ian Elsmore takes off on the Toby Keith melody on his Mellophone.
The band will travel to Dorman High School for their first competition on Saturday, September 19. After a weekend off to better prepare their show the band will then travel to Pendleton High School on October 3. The competition season continues on October 17 at Chesnee High School, followed by the SC Upper State 1A Championships at Clinton High School on Saturday, October 24. If the band places in the top 6 at upper State, they will compete at the SC 1-A State Marching Championships at Woodmont High School on October 31.
The Royal Regiment Marching Band will present a community exhibition performance on Thursday night, October 1, at the Whitmire High School football stadium beginning around 7:00 p.m.

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