Out of this world: THS students prepare ‘Celestial’ show during band camp

By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Thompson High School’s Marching Southern Sounds band is currently hard at work memorizing music and honing their talents in preparation for the upcoming school year.

The THS band is currently preparing for this year’s Friday night lights and competitions by practicing during its annual band camp which began on July 22 and lasts until Friday, Aug. 2.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the students and staff because even with the rain, we’re still really moving ahead of schedule,” said Graham Bennett, director of bands at THS. “It just constantly amazes me how well the students and the staff work.”

The Marching Southern Sounds are hard at work to prepare for this year’s show entitled, “Celestial.”

“My goal is that they leave the stadium singing our show,” Bennett said.

“Celestial” will bring to the football stadium songs and pieces such as “The Planet Krypton” from “Superman: The Movie,” “Mars” from Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” “Space oddity” by Davie Bowie,” the theme from “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and a “Star Trek” medley featuring the original theme from the TV show and music from “Star Trek: Into Darkness.”

The series of stellar tunes will also be accentuated by a visual accompaniment as the marching band travels across the field in various forms to deliver an optical spectacle.

“We got some special little field tricks that we’re going to do too in the show that will hopefully (wow) the crowd and the judges during the season as well,” Bennett said. “We’re planning on pulling off an actual eclipse-type drill set where the band and the visual ensemble collide into what will look like an eclipse happening on the field.”

Before band camp officially began, staff hosted a rookie camp July 15-18 to teach the newest members of the band all the fundamentals and to get them ready to join the full ensemble. Once the whole group was together on July 22, they began their efforts to learn drill, their places in the half-time show and to learn songs for the stands and for the field.

“The students have to learn how to play, they have to learn the proper approach (on) how to march while playing—so, it takes a lot of step by step on the marching end, the playing end and doing both of them,” Bennett said.

While students with varying degrees of marching experience and with different roles in the show attempted to learn their part, they received aid from not only the THS staff in attendance but also student section leaders who took initiative on the practice field.

“Because there are over 200 kids in our program, there’s an incredible step up in leadership,” Bennett said. “We’ve got student leaders in each section that help us run the sectionals on the field (and) help us work with the students on their individual parts.”

Graham also expressed his gratitude to all of the staff at THS that make the program possible each year.

“I’d love to thank all of my staff,” Bennett said. “We’ve got an incredible group.”

Bennett is joined by Associate Director Cory Hyman, Associate Director Rebecca Reinhardt, Percussion Director Jamiah Robbins, Varsity Dance coach Emily Bennett, JV Dance coach Harlie Wilson, Guard coach Brandon Cornelison and Majorette coach Gretchen Moore. Bennett also extended his thanks to Alabaster City Schools Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers and the rest of administration.

Despite the recent, undependable nature of the weather and the large amount of rain, the band has consistently worked to take advantage of the time it has outside to get ready for the coming school year’s performances and competitions.

“We strive to create an atmosphere of discipline, of respect and honestly, we want to create a place where the kids feel safe and they know that, when they’re here and when they leave here, they were a part of something that was bigger than them,” Bennett said. “We want them to be able to take all of the discipline that they’ve learned—humbleness, kindness, being the first to arrive and last to leave, being on time—just all of the things that make the strongest character of a person. We strive and really set that as, I would even say, more primary of a goal than the music and marching on the field.”

Fans can look forward to hearing  the Marching Southern Sounds supporting the Warriors during the first game on Thursday, Aug. 22.

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