Exploring the expression of freedom, the band and color guard will perform their show “Turning Tables” at the Bands of America regional contest Saturday.

“This show is supposed to represent a box dancer whose expectation is to be held in this little music box and dance when she is told to,” sophomore saxophone player Sofia Delgado said. “The idea of our show is breaking free of that, breaking free of what society is expected of people and quite literally, turning the tables.” 

The theme of the show this year has left a deep impression on the students in band.

“I would say it has affected me in a really positive way,” Delagdo said. “With the band being so successful last year, it motivates me in every way possible to work as hard as I can. I think the message of our show is very true in society especially modern day. I feel like it resonates with my experience in joining band in the first place.”

The band and color guard spend seven and a half to eight hours per week outside of the school day rehearsing, even training through the summer just before August, putting in about four and a half hours in the mornings, and another four hours in the afternoon. Practices are everyday after school, except for Tuesdays for sophomore Gabby Robles in color guard

“Our show is more physically demanding than ever, quite possibly more than any Texas high school show out there,” director Bryan Christian said. “It is demanding some intense training, visually, aerobically, and musically, but the students have been fantastic at achieving and pursuing excellence.” 

Last year, the band won first at the UIL State Marching Contest. They are fueled by this victory to keep working hard going forward.

  “We’ve always had our priorities straight. Our activity is about the journey, relationships, and music,” Christian said. “‘Winning’ has never been a goal of ours, as it is something that we cannot control. It’s not a head to head contest, where someone scores more touchdowns, runs or baskets than the opponent. We’ve been very careful not to make the  first place trophy the main thing; but instead, to make every rehearsal and every performance our very best and better than the last. Success does bring new challenges, but if our philosophy was right to begin with, then we don’t need to make any drastic changes in order to prove anything to anybody.”