Tribal Affect: Talawanda Marching Band
The Talawanda High School Marching Band is in the home stretch of their 2013 season with their show, Tribal Affect. The band will be competing at the MSBA (Mid States Band Association) Finals on November 2 at Mason High School and at the BOA Grand Nationals in Indianapolis on November 14.
With 70+ playing members, this has been the first year the band has competed in class AAAA. The band placed 4th overall out of 14 bands at the Lebanon High School MSBA Invitational with an average score of 70.5 in 4 categories on October 12.
“This shows that we can hang in AAAA,” said band director Richard Gonzales. ”It was kind of up in the air, but we will take it. To receive a 70.5 that time in the season is a big testament to where we are within the program”.
Gonzales checks MSBA scores and updates the band on their future competition standings and predictions. Gonzales said that Talawanda Marching Band has what it takes to make finals at MSBA Finals, “we as directors, staff, and membership believe that it is very possible. But we need to go out there and put out our A game out there and do everything we can, and let everything else fall into place”.
Gonzales said that their success can be attributed to many factors. “We have wonderful staff like Mr. Hurst as our percussion director and having Sabrina and Karen as our guard instructors.
“The leadership over the past few years has gotten bigger and stronger and more consistent, and the mind set, they really want to succeed.
Band director Mike Marston is also pleased with the performance of this year’s band. “We are on track to do great things,” said Marston. “We have had a great improvement in our positive attitude also, students are taking leadership roles and taking care of logistics”.
Senior and veteran marcher Matt Rudolph has been marching for 5 years. “I think we are moving a lot faster than other years, we weren’t as motivated as we are now, we have a lot going for us,” said Rudolph. “we are putting a lot of hard work out there”.
