The Sunnyvale Sun
Cover Story
Photograph courtesy of QuickCycle Photo
The Fremont High School Marching Band displays its parade uniforms and colors during a 2005 parade. The band will be on parade Oct. 14 at the kickoff of the competition season in Cupertino.
Here Comes the Band
Fremont High School's Marching Band gets ready for this year's season of competitions
By RUBY ELBOGEN
Those who thrill at the oom-pah-pah of a tuba and the tat-a-tat-tat of the drums as smartly uniformed bands pass by should get ready for the big parade.
On Oct. 14, at precisely 10 a.m., the 36th annual Tournament of Bands will commence on Miller Avenue, continue on to Stevens Creek and end at Finch. While the parade route may be short, the entertainment value is long.
Approximately 20 high school bands from around Northern California are expected to participate in this year's competition, including those in the Fremont High School District.
The drill-down, a marching maneuvers competition, begins at 1:30 p.m.; parade awards are bestowed at 2; and at 4 the Cupertino High School field gates open to welcome one and all who want to be wowed at the field show competition, beginning at 4:30.
The Cupertino High School Band hosts the TOB, as the event has been nicknamed; all the school bands participating in the Bay Area's competitive band schedule looked forward to it.
Thousands of high school band members, along with all the volunteers and staff, and the massive array of instruments and paraphernalia TOB requires, will begin arriving in the wee hours of Saturday morning.
Joseph Kelly, Fremont High's popular and enthusiastic director of the Firebirds' marching band, says, "TOB is a major event. It's our first band competition of the season, it's our debut event, and all the schools participating look forward to it every year."
Kelly, who played the French horn in high school, has been band director at Fremont for eight years. His background includes being band manager while a student at San Jose State University.
Assistant drum major Jeff Facun, a junior, has played alto sax in the band for the last three years. "I have been impressed with the energy of the band, and being part of it has made me a better person", he said.
Kenneth Finnegan, a senior and section leader for trumpets, describes himself as the ultimate band geek. He agrees with Jeff, saying, "This band is our second family and the band boosters are our third parents. Band members feel good about what we do, and Fremont High has the best food because of the band moms."
Color Guard members Melissa Erdman, Rachel Duchrow and Rachel Malm are pleased at band reviews when they hear people in the stands tell others to watch for the Fremont High Band because it's so good.
Rachel also plays flute and says, "When our own performance is finished, I run over to the band in my color guard uniform and play the flute. There are football players who are also band members, and they come out to play with us in their football uniforms at half time. Cheerleaders and dance team members, too. It's great."
Chelsea Ainscow, a sophomore flautist, said the marching band adds to the esteem of the school.
Being a band member is not only time-consuming, it's also expensive. Families contribute hundreds of dollars each year for students to be in band.
Band Boosters Kellee Erdman and Deb Duchrow have been part of the group for many years. They say the band has won more awards than any other group or team on campus. Both enjoy the part they play, and know how much the kids appreciate what they do. They say they will miss being part of the band team very much when their children graduate at the end of this year.
Fremont High School's Firebird Band and the other marching bands in the Fremont-Union High School District hope many in Sunnyvale will turn out for the tournament, to enjoy the music, the marching and to take pride in Sunnyvale's participation in this musical tradition.
