By Jay Havener
Oxford Parent
‘Daddy, where is Oxford? I want to be in their band when I grow up. They were the best!?
I overheard a young boy say that after the Wildcat Marching Band had taken Walt Disney’s Main Street by storm April 1. The band under the direction of Jim Gibbons, Pat Parrish, and Gary Ashton traveled with approximately 45 chaperones to Florida this past week and gave an awesome performance that had the crowd cheering, clapping, and smiling. I have never heard them perform as well as they did Friday night. They were definitely ‘in-step and in tune.?
More than 160 strong, they were certainly the largest band that I saw perform in four days in Disney’s theme parks. And like that young boy, I thought they certainly were the best. Of course, I may be slightly biased, but I do know that our young people represented Oxford High School and the greater Oxford community with pride, dignity, and excellence. They were truly ambassadors to the world on behalf of our community. Not only did they have a little boy wondering where Oxford was, they also had many others wondering the same.
‘Are you with that band?? a fellow asked me in an Australian accent. Perhaps he drew that conclusion when he heard me bellowing and cheering like a crazy man when the band marched by. When I affirmed that indeed I was with the band, he said that their performance was ‘right spot-on? which I assumed was a good thing. Another parent sat by a Welshman who, in a thick Welsh accent, said that the band’s performance was ‘very good indeed? and by far was the best of the previous three bands that had already passed ahead of the Wildcats. He said Wales does not have such bands and this was very good to see.
I walked behind the band after they had stopped on main street and performed ‘We’re an American Band.? I watched and listened to the 100,000-plus audience as they responded to the Wildcats and it was all positive. It was very gratifying to see video cameras recording the performance while knowing that someone was going home to show it to their family in Asia or South America or Europe. Our young people’s performance had a lot of folks looking at U.S. maps trying to find Oxford, Michigan.
I’ve had the privilege of having both my sons involved with the Oxford instrumental program and I give great credit to Oxford Community Schools for embracing a strong music program. I believe that a music program does much to prepare a person for life. The skills that are used in math and sciences are the same skills used in music.
As a parent, I wish to thank Jim Gibbons, Pat Parrish and Gary Ashton for the dedication and drive they have as teachers and educators and their desire to make music a real part of our student’s development and discipline. My hope is that the community of Oxford will show its appreciation the next time you see our young people march in a parade or a half-time show, and know that as a community, we have shared them with the world and the world responded with enthusiasm.