Those looking forward to precision drills and polished notes won’t be disappointed when the Oxford High School Marching Band takes the field this fall.
‘I was very pleased with the progress they made at camp,? said OHS Band Director Jim Gibbons.
The 125-member band recently spent a week at Covenant Hills Camp in Otisville, Michigan playing their hearts out and marching until their feet hurt.
Gibbons said this is one of the most focused and hardest working bands he’s ever had the privilege of directing.
And that’s good because this year, the band will be performing a particularly challenging halftime show featuring music from the 1998 movie ‘The Mask of Zorro.?
‘It’s a very difficult show to play,? Gibbons said. ‘It will hold the kids? attention throughout the season.?
The band will perform this elaborate halftime spectacle during all four of the home football games this year beginning with the Friday, Aug. 28 season opener against Clio.
But this year’s show isn’t just about entertaining crowds of Wildcat fans. It’s also about striving to be the best.
The band is scheduled to participate in three competitions ? Sept. 26 at Novi High School, Oct. 10 at Linden High School and Oct. 24 at Clarkston High School.
‘We’ll be giving them something to work on throughout the whole season,? Gibbons said.
The idea is to use the judges? comments and critiques from each competition to help improve the band’s performance for the next event.
‘It’s a progression,? Gibbons said. ‘This is going to be the motivating factor for the band to get better as the season goes on.?