It’s that time a year when MHS Band Director Katy Essex puts on her band camp face. The Wildcat Marching Band gets in shape for the 2025 season beginning Monday, August 4. Daily practices from 8:00am to 4:00pm will be held Monday through Thursday that week, and will conclude on Friday, 8:00am to 2pm. -News Photo
Even though the first day of school isn’t until Monday, August 25, the “busy” season for MHS students is here.
Band students participating at the Cass County Fair, July 25 through August 2 – and there are many! – step right into marching band camp, Monday, August 4. The annual camp is a five-day marathon/extravaganza/test of stamina, will and fortitude, especially for the newbie members of the freshman class. Each day students will learn a new element to this season’s Festival Show, “Stay Out of My Swamp.”
Reminder letters were mailed to students’ families two weeks ago with tips for a successful season beginning with band camp.
This year, the leadership members of the band created something new to add to the festive feel of band camp – Dress Up Days!
Monday, August 4: USA Day
Tuesday, August 5: Twin Day
Wednesday, August 6: Shrek Day
Thursday, August 7, Section Colors Day: Flutes – Red; Clarinets – Pink; Altos and Mellophone – Green; Trombones and Tenors – White; Bass Line – Purple; Trumpets – Blue; Drumline – Yellow
Friday, August 8: Orange and Black Day
Perhaps the most important reminder from Miss Essex is to be on time: “We start at 8am, not 8:05.”
Delinquency has its consequences. . . in other words, get ready to run.
This year’s band camp is just a prelude to a very busy fall for the band. The band is making the trek to Orlando, Florida, November 24 – November 30.
A tentative itinerary released earlier this month shows the band departing MHS on Monday, November 24, at 4:00pm, with an arrival at the hotel in Lake Buena Vista approximately 21 – 24 hours later. The band’s performance at Disney Springs will likely take place on Wednesday, November 26. Disney has put new restrictions on high school bands marching through the Magic Kingdom. No bands are allowed to march if they have fewer than 50 members. This year’s Wildcat Marching Band has about 40 members, so the group will play a concert instead of marching – which means they’re going to have to practice more than one song for this trip!
Thanksgiving Day is a day for fun at Animal Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom. On Friday, November 28, it’s back to work at Disney Soundtrack Session with time later at Epcot. Saturday is the day for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure!
Got to have a good time before boarding the bus at 8:00pm, November 29. for the ride back to Marcellus. Arrival time is expected to be around 6:00pm.
While it has not been made official, the 2025 trip to Orlando is likely the last for the Wildcat Marching Band. The price for each band member has become prohibitive. Each band student must raise $1,700.00 to cover their portion of the trip. This fee covers transportation, lodging, some meal vouchers and park passes. Considering that some families have more than one band member hoping to make the trip, the cost can sometimes be insurmountable.
The students are given numerous fundraising opportunities in the years leading up to the trip and the Band Boosters provide some supplemental financial support, but their limited funds stretch only so far.
Thanks to the generosity of local businesses and individuals, the band is much closer to its goal than it was a month ago. But there is still a gap in funding.
You can help by contributing to one or more of these fundraisers:
● Raffle Tickets for our Summer Meat Grilling Bundle. With the help of Terrill’s Meat Market, we are raffling TWO $250 value meat bundles to help raise money for the November band trip to Orlando, Florida. Winners will be drawn on September 5 at the First Friday event.
● Uniform Pillows! Ever wonder what happened to the old band uniforms? Decorative Pillows! We still have many available to purchase. Pillows are $50.
● Band Merchandise. Need something band related yet school spirited at the same time? Check out our online store at: https://jupiter.areswear.com/store/?storeName=Marcellus_Community_Schools_band
If the band doesn’t get to go to Disney in the future what might replace it? Never fear! Thanks to Miss Essex’s former life as a Yooper, she is well-versed in rewarding faithful band students with an educational adventure.
#WildcatMarchingBand Pride
This Day in Music History – July 24
1965: Bob Dylan charts for the first time as an artist in the US when “Like A Rolling Stone” enters at #91. A handful of his songs have already been hits as covered by other artists, most notably the 1963 Peter, Paul and Mary version of “Blowin’ In The Wind.”
1938: Artie Shaw records “Begin The Beguine.”
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