1991-1992: Sophomore Year

This was my first year in a new territory when Hillsborough County high schools operated on a 10th through 12th grade level. When I was a spectator to marching band performances, it looked all too easy. I was wrong.

I had skipped the two-week long preparatory Band Camp held in the first weeks in August, since I didn't realize it was required for old and new band participants. When I went to Hillsborough for the first day, I was placed in a fourth period Band class, which consisted of only me, a senior-year trumpeteer, and many percussionists. Director George Farmer was quite surprised there was a third Nurse kid he had to instruct, and to be honest, I believe he didn't know what to expect out of me.

The first school-year field rehearsal was held on the second day of school in the evening. I was totally lost; I had missed all the primary instruction during Band Camp. Upperclassmen (and shockingly, fellow sophomores) were yelling at me when I made errors. I started to become discouraged, thinking this activity was not for me, but I persevered and attended each rehearsal and eventually learned the music. But I was forced to miss the first four football games, not because of music or missing steps, but because I had no uniform. At one point, Mr. Farmer rejected me from a rehearsal because I had not resolved the uniform problem. Eventually I received an extremely uncomfortable and non-fitting uniform; that particular uniform's pants fit on me like Spandex.

I struggled with marching and playing throughout the season. I recall during the final game of the season just minutes before the performance, those Spandex-tight pants finally split. I became frantic as one of the chaperones attempted to hold the tear together with safety pins. It didn't work. It ripped even more during the marching, and I left the field in tears afterwards.

The struggle continued into the Symphonic Band season which began right after the football season. Back in junior high I was taught by an experienced musician, but he gave us beginner-level music to play, the "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" type. One piece the Symphonic Band played that year was called "Gandalf," part of the "Lord of the Rings" series. I was dumbfounded when I saw all the upper-ledger notes and lines of 32nd notes required to play, and that's just the third clarinet part! Even though I was lucky to be perform a dozen notes from that piece, Mr. Farmer allowed me to play in concerts and surprisingly, the district contest, where the band made superior ratings for the n-th straight time. Despite the difficulties, I did letter in Band at the end of the year.

Thanks to the departure of band members from the class of 1992 and knowledge of the importance of Band Camp, I attended the two-week session and was properly fitted for a uniform. The music and moves were just as challenging, if not more for a little dance-like move we had to do midway through the field show (believe you me, I wasn't and still am not the best dancer in the world). With the experience with the previous year, I felt more confident with the material and people around me, and at times I was the one giving instructions to others instead of vice versa. And I began to actually enjoy this activity.

My father had bought a video camera the summer prior and accompanied me to games to record the happenings in the stands and the field shows. Sometimes I'll watch them just for memory's sake and get a laugh out of the way things were back then. I performed in all 10 games, had an acceptable outfit, and the band received a superior in district marching festival that November.

The Symphonic season took on a high degree of importance and concentration, and anticipation as well. Because of constant Superior performances, the Hillsborough Band was permitted to make an out-of-state appearance. Mr. Farmer accepted an invitation from the folks in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, to perform in the Smoky Mountain Music Festival. I was excited as well, since it would be the first time traveling outside Florida since age two. My music playing skills improved compared to 1992, but I still held third chair, with a freshman. Pieces played were "Mercury March," a piece from "La Traviata" by Giuseppe Verdi, and "The Immovable Do" (as in "do"-re-mi) by Percy Grainger. The music was not easy to say the least; on "Do" that tune of the scale was always being played throughout the number by some instrumental section; the third clarinets had to hold the tune in the upper ledger for several measures, something I wasn't capable of doing.

The Big Red Band earned another Superior at contest, then soon after that it was off to Gatlinburg. The trip itinerary included stop-overs in Atlanta going to and from Tennessee, two days in Gatlinburg, and a trip to Six Flags Over Georgia on the way back. In my opinion, the tour of the Great Smoky Mountains was the most memorable part of the trip; the scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and cameras were snapping shots all over the buses. (I had a Vivitar 110 at that time.) If I recall correctly, we took first place in our symphonic division. We marched in a parade competition down the main highway of Gatlinburg, but didn't stay to hear the results. I don't think we won that anyway. This fantastic trip concluded a grand year for the Hillsborough High School Band. (More details on the "National Tour" page.)

This year there were more than 10 games. The Hillsborough football team achieved a playoff berth for the first time in 25 years with a 9-1 regular season record, and the first playoff game was held at home versus an Orlando team. Spirits were high that evening as the football team played and the band performed. But the euphoria was short-lived; the Orlando high school unexpectedly defeated us and eliminated Hillsborough from the playoffs -- and ended the band's extended marching season. The "Big Red" brought home another "superior" at the marching contest.

Another "superior" in symphonic performance insured us another out-of-state appearance for the following year if so desired. This year's trip was just up Interstate 4 to Orlando, the Music USA Festival, another national competition. Another superb performance; the band won excellent and superior ratings, while the dancers and two twirlers received first place trophies. A "W. T. Woodson" school from Virginia (I believe) left as the overall winner.

This three-day trip 85 miles from home was quite different from other Orlando trips I've taken in my life. I was by myself (no family accompaniment) and I documented this trip with the video camera. Ninety minutes worth of highlights from this trip were recorded, from departure to return. I stayed up late with fellow roommates -- two seniors and a junior -- recording their sinister plans to throw concentrated iced tea-filled water balloons at "strategic" targets in the parking lot. The morning of the performance, the space shuttle lifted off on another space mission, and being such a short distance away from Cape Canaveral, I made a scramble to the exterior stairwell to catch a view of the spacecraft reaching the skies that I just couldn't get from Tampa outdoors. After the performances, we went to Universal Studios Florida to spend the rest of the time there, recording many things, including three separate experiences on the "Earthquake" attraction.

That, I believe, was my final performance with my clarinet for Hillsborough High School. Instead of playing "Pomp and Circumstance" and watching graduating seniors during commencement, positions were switched May 31, 1994, as I waved to the band and shook Mr. Farmer's hand while approaching the stage to receive my diploma.

Band Members, Class of 1994

Back to Big Red Band On-line