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December 29, 2009

<img src="http://www.joplinglobeonline.com/images/zope/extra.gif" border=0>Webb City band gets down to business<font color="#ff0000"> w/ Emily Younker blog and Facebook travelogue </font>

By Emily Younker

eyounker@joplinglobe.com

CALABASAS, Calif. — After a long bus ride and a day of sightseeing in Southern California, the Webb City High School band got back to business Tuesday with a final rehearsal before its performances later this week.

For senior Cody Wilkins, a tuba player, the rehearsal was crucial.

“We were kind of rusty for not doing it for about a week,” he said. “I was missing notes for a while, and then after practicing I got it back.”

The first part of the rehearsal, which was at Calabasas High School, was devoted to warm-ups and practicing turning. The band then ran through its three parade pieces and the entire field show.

Visual coordinator Becky Long, who led most of the rehearsal, said it went well.

“They (the students) were really tired because of the bus ride, and they could have been groggy and lethargic,” she said. “But they were full of energy, and I think they did a fantastic job.”

Long said she thinks that high level of performance will continue through Friday, when the band will march in the Tournament of Roses Parade.

“As soon as that adrenaline hits them and they see all those people, they’re going to take it to another level,” she said.

Turning practice was particularly necessary for most of the students, Long said.

“They’re getting pretty good at marching straight, but those turns are hard,” she said. “It’s hard to get nine people to turn together in a perfectly straight line.”

Junior Omar Trenche, who handles a bass drum, said he agreed with that assessment.

“I think I improved with my turning (today),” he said. “If we hadn’t had this rehearsal, we might not do as well later.”

Long said the 60-degree weather Tuesday was a welcome change from Southwest Missouri’s cold and snow.

“When it was 20 degrees outside and their horns were freezing, we would always give them the weather update in California,” she said of previous rehearsals.

But the sunny day presented somewhat of a challenge to some students who hadn’t anticipated how warm they would get marching in the sun, Long said.

Freshman Tyler Jones said halfway through the rehearsal, as he gulped water, that the nice weather was much appreciated.

“It’s much better out here,” Jones said. “It’s warmer and much better than the 18-degree weather we used to march around in.”

Jones, a trumpet player, said he has improved a lot over the past few months, and Tuesday’s rehearsal helped him and his band mates fine-tune their performance.

“All the rehearsals really pay off, even though they’re tiring,” he said. “We put a lot of hours into it, and it pays off in the end.”

Wilkins also has no doubt that the band is prepared for Friday.

“Oh, yeah, we’re ready,” he said. “We’re there.”

The band will perform today at Bandfest, a field-show showcase for bands participating in the parade. The parade is Friday morning.



To read about the band’s trip to Universal Studios on Tuesday afternoon, visit emilyounker.wordpress.com.

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