In perfect unison with those around her, Lauren Eisenschenk marched onto the field under the cloudless blue sky. Small puffs of dust rose from the ground with each step. She lifted her mellophone to her lips, and she was ready.
“As soon as you play the first notes, all the stress is gone and you know what to do,” the 15-year-old high school freshman said.
Eisenschenk is a member of the Gainesville High School Hurricane Marching Band and Guard, which competed Saturday against 16 other high schools from across the state.
The 18th Annual Southern Showcase of Champions Marching Band Invitational was hosted by the Santa Fe High School Raider Regiment and totaled 5,000 in attendance, according to spokeswoman Laurie Brown.
Band selection is based on a first-come, first-served basis to those qualified by the Florida Bandmasters Association, she said.
Every parent and band student at Santa Fe has a role in the event, whether it is directing traffic, driving trucks of equipment or handing out water to those who have just performed.
Tracey Ousley and her husband continue to volunteer even after their son graduated two years ago. She said it is some of the most rewarding work they have ever done.
“It’s very much a sense of pride for us that these little communities could put on such a nice event that would make people come back,” she said.
Keith Davidson, an 18-year-old senior at Fernandina Beach High School, said this was his fourth time at the showcase.
“I really like performing in front of people and competing is the best part,” he said
Davidson, with his face covered in gray and red makeup and latex, said his band director chose a zombie apocalypse theme for the band’s performance to keep up with the theatrical style of the competition.
Scoring is based on a numerical system.
Performances are judged in both musical and visual categories for placement in the state semifinals. A.D. Nease finished in first place, F.W. Buchholz finished second, and Fleming Island placed third. Gainesville High and P. K. Yonge Developmental Research School were among the top 10 finishers.
A version of this story ran on page 5 on 10/14/2013 under the headline "High school bands compete locally"
The P. K. Yonge Developmental Research School band performs at the Southern Showcase of Champions Marching Band Invitational. A.D. Nease finished in first place, and F.W. Buchholz finished in second.
