Big Red Band National Tour
Big Red Band National Tour
It was an early rise-and-shine for the Big Red Band members attending
the South Carolina festival. Three charter buses were lined up outside the school at 6:00 a.m. that morning for the 12-hour trek. Some students in the right picture were barely awake.
After a brief breakfast stop in Jacksonville, the Hillsborough contingency of band, orchestra, and chorus members crossed the state line into South Carolina
in the early afternoon.
"Say 'B-flat' ": At the South Carolina Welcome Center (the identical stop the Band made during their 1995 Washington trip), band director George Farmer agrees
to photograph a couple of band students with their camera.
Students were entertained during the trip with, among other things, videotaped movies. The original "Austin Powers" film was concluding just as the band approached the outskirts of Myrtle Beach around 6:00 p.m.
A short time later, the travelers from Tampa invaded their temporary residence, the Days Inn Oceanfront Hotel. The buses arrived ahead of schedule, allowing plenty of time for unpacking and settling down in the
rooms before the dinner schedule. Although the hotel was located directly on the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean, students and chaperones alike complained about the upkeep of some of the rooms, and numerous room changes were made as a result.
Dancerette coach Dawn Rohm, far left, joins chaperones at the supper table at Rya's restaurant in North Myrtle Beach, about 12 miles north of the hotel. En route, Hillsborough spotted the location of the Hampton Inn, where
their source of local competition, Bloomingdale High School, was housed for the festival.
With the pressures of tempo, intonation, dynamics and judges off their backs, the band takes time to relax at the hotel. Some braved the 55-degree Atlantic water temperatures and took a dip in the ocean. Those avoiding a bout with the cold
relaxed in the indoor bathwater-like jacuzzi.
A student's talent in the fine arts is not limited to music. This unique food sculpture, created at the Ryan's buffet, is a prime example of one's diverse abilities.
Band members Venus Broadhurst (class of 1999, left) and Z'Dany Chisholm (c/o 2000) let it loose by grooving to CD music in the restaurant parking lot prior to the return to the Days Inn.
Nighttime activities were divided between chilling out at the pool, chilling out on the beach (literally), and sleeping in bed after a long day.
Ms. Rodriguez, foreground, receives her breakfast from the Morrison's Cafeteria line. She and other chaperones and students psych themselves for the Dancerettes' adjudicated presentation a short time later.
Awaiting the dancers' show in the basketball court of Myrtle Beach High School, Stacey Quick admires the autographed picture of Tampa television meteorologist Andy Johnson. Johnson donated the picture as a prize for winners in the "Name That Showtune 3" bus game.
Stacey and partner Joshua Rudolph earned third place in the Bus 2 version of the game.
A scene from the dazzling performance by the Hillsborough Dancerettes squad. Hillsborough was one of a very few dancing groups to participate in this festival.
Mr. Farmer and trip chaperone Mrs. Longmire discuss the students' performances outside MBHS.
Despite weeks of planning, a highlight of the trip, "Sand Bowl II" (coordinated by band students Deji Oguntebi and Ricky Peterika), never came to pass. Less-extravagant scrimmages took its place (at right) through the duration of the trip. At least a football was passed, if not Sand Bowl II.
The Awards ceremony was held that evening at MBHS. Most of the participating bands and music groups were in attendance. Although most hopes were dashed by the amount of competition, some HHS kids were hoping for a repeat of the grand championship earned at the Virginia Beach Fiesta-Val
one year earlier. At left, violinist Nori Acevedo (c/o '99) emerges from the stage with an indivial honor award, representing the strings section of the Hillsborough Orchestra. Virtuoso Jesse Hsu (c/o 2001) also received the prize, his second in a row. These two were the only ones recognized in such a fashion
in the orchestra category.
As the saying goes, there is strength in numbers. HHS had no representatives in several of the categories, including jazz ensembles and marching bands. Cross-county rival Bloomingdale and their 350-member music groups were well-honored in many categories and divisions. Bands from Virginia also fared well. Though HHS received many superior, excellent, and first-place ratings, it was not enough to earn themselves another grand championship. The title did return to Hillsborough County, though, but this year the title went to Bloomingdale in both vocal and instrumental divisions.
The Big Red still has nothing to be ashamed of. A few of the trophies awarded are displayed by, from left, Jesse Hsu, Nori Acevedo, Kelli Hughes (c/o '99), Jasmine Lane (c/o '99), and Colleen Rice (c/o '99).
Due to a split in the students' opinions, the option was given to either attend the dance at the teen-age night club near the Pavilion or stay at the hotel to rest. The ratio was nearly 50/50. Sound System member J.D. Kehoe (c/o '99) moves to the music with chaperone Norma-Jean Russell at the Attic
night club.
The students file into their respective buses one final time outside the Myrtle Beach mall, preparing for the drive home. By request, altered versions of "Name That Showtune 3" were administered on the remaining two buses, with small cash prizes awarded to the highest three scores. Rest stops were made
near Savannah, Georgia, and again in Jacksonville for lunch.
The buses turn onto Wilder Avenue on the outskirts of the school at 7:27 p.m., three minutes before the designated time on the itinerary and drawing another fabulous and successful band trip to a close. A student carries one of the prize possessions off the bus toward the school.
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