HC Marching Band steps to success

The HC Marching Band is arguably one of the most hardworking groups at the school. Recently completing their 2017 season (mid-July to the last weekend in October), the marching band has proven that despite being one of the hardest sports that a student can participate in, they are immensely skilled. This was proven by their performance at football games and while competing against other marching bands around the country. 

The marching band had proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with this season with multiple wins at various events around the state and nation. 

“It was a great season,” HC Director of Marching Band and Band Teacher William Kite said. “I think the best we’ve ever had.” 

During the season the marching band competed in one of the biggest band competitions in the nation, Bands of America. 

“At a national show during [the] Oct. 7 weekend… we won our class at the national circuit,” Kite said. “[We also] won overall outstanding music in [class AAA] and then we were named a national regional finalist and ended up being [in the] top 5.” 

Not only did they succeed in winning awards at some of the highest levels of marching band, they consistently show themselves to be worthy opponents to the rest of the marching bands in the area. 

“There were several weeks where we finished in front of Dunbar, and we had never done that in our school’s history,” Kite said. “That was a big thing because we’re now competitive with them. They’re a good benchmark in terms of a group that always makes finals.” 

For the marchers, victory comes after the long hours of practice every day, starting in the summer. 

“We’ve had more success this year at competitions and we’ve grown more as a family than in the past,” HC Senior John Newton said. 

This year’s band has shown that they are only going up with no intentions of stopping for anyone, or anything. Through the season they have managed to get high rankings in multiple events including the Kentucky Music Educators Association State Marching Band Championships where they placed sixth in the semi-finals, the Tates Creek Commodore Classic where they place third overall, and the Lafayette invitational where they placed first in the preliminary and second in the finals. 

After this year’s achievements one can only help but wonder what’s in store for the HC Marching Band in 2018. 

“I’m super proud of the group,” Kite said, “They worked [harder than] any group I’ve ever seen here, and I’ve been here for thirteen years… It was a really fun year.”