Band puts in extra time to hit high notes
Band Days among highlights of busy beginning of school year
The PHS band poses for a group picture during the Homecoming football game Sept. 22.
Powell High School Band students prepare for events in different ways, and people respond positively to the band.
The band has a few large events that they must prepare for including the Homecoming assembly, parade, football games and Band Days.
The PHS band has received great comments on how they sound. This year Band Director Mr. John Fabela was pleased with how the band played at Homecoming even though the weather was bad. He also said this year the band has not had a lot of time to learn how to march, but that this was not a huge priority for the band.
“I’d rather we sound good than spend a lot of time on marching and not sound good,” Mr. Fabela said.
I’d rather we sound good than spend a lot of time on marching and not sound good.
— PHS Band Director Mr. John Fabela
Preparations are many and are specific to each event.
“The main thing for us is we try to learn as many songs as we can in a short amount of time, and so other than that, we have other 20 songs we can play, which is pretty remarkable,” Fabela said.
Other than Homecoming, the University of Wyoming’s annual Band Days is one of the band’s largest events. This event was Sept. 30 in Laramie, with preparation just as extensive.
“We get music in an email in early September and I print those off and get the parts out to everybody. We work on the music and they kind of tell you ahead of time what will be happening,” Mr. Fabela said. “This year all the kids spelled out W-Y-O, so you needed to know what letter you were going to be in so you kinda had an idea of where you needed to be when we got to Laramie Saturday morning.”
He then goes on to talk about the schedule of the weekend once the band arrives in Laramie.
“The UW people take over after we get there,” he said. “They tell you where to stand and how to get there and how to get off the field.”
Mr. Fabela really appreciated the behavior of all of his students, at the game, on the bus, at the hotel and when going out to eat.
“Everyone cooperated, and you know the weather again didn’t cooperate with us but everyone kind of rolls with the punches and is flexible and we dealt with it,” Fabela said.
Senior Emily Sweet said there are a couple of important items to consider if performing in the band.
“Practice a little more, know where you are on the field,” she said. “It’s the band’s thing for the year.”
Band Days is one event that has helped Sweet’s career.
“Really good, pretty good career,” Sweet said. “Going to Europe and the Rose Parade have given me many opportunities.”
