Every summer musicians stay out in the sweltering summer heat learning and perfecting their halftime shows for football season.
Their shows are then performed to crowds that are sometimes halfway out of the stands during halftime in an attempt to grab food from the concession stands.
To give high school marching bands an opportunity to show off their respective shows to other bands, Auburn High School hosted the 17th annual Band-O-Rama at Duck Samford Stadium Thursday night.
The event featured seven area high schools and a special performance by Auburn University’s own marching band. The AUMB performed their pregame show and half-time shows.
“It’s nice to be able to perform in front of people who know what to look for and want to pay attention," said Smiths Station High School senior and clarinet player Bailey Richard. "Everyone is very supportive.”
She said after spending so much time working on their show — two weeks of camp and two-hour practices after school with extended sectionals on Tuesday — it was nice to be able to show off all the hard work.
“It was also really nice to see the Auburn band performing. ... It gives high schoolers something to look up to,” Bailey said.
She plans to attend Auburn next fall and join her sister in the Auburn University Marching Band. Her sister, Hannah Richard, is a sophomore piccolo player and even marched with her sister in high school.
“Auburn was always a huge goal of mine,” Hannah said. “I’m a fourth generation Auburn student, so everyone knew where I was going, but at my first football game I decided I wanted to be in the band too.”
Hannah said she thinks that when high schoolers see the AUMB perform, it sets an example and motivates them to improve their own technique.
“I think it lets them know that you don’t have to stop at high school band," Hannah said. "You can aspire to more and be successful if you decide to keep going.”
She also commented on the other high school marching bands performances, saying she was very impressed with the improvement in skill she saw and that it evoked a sense of nostalgia to her early marching days in junior high school.
The event ended with the first performance of the Auburn University Marching Band’s halftime show, “Auburn Abroad,” that received a standing ovation from the high-school-musician-packed stadium.
It was the same halftime show that will be performed at the much-anticipated game against Clemson next Saturday, Sept. 3.
The show was followed by a performance of “Word Up,” which has been a crowd favorite at past Band-O-Rama's. It was the last performance of the night.
Snippet of Auburn High School's halftime show pic.twitter.com/oLp9lBT9RV
— TiaraBond (@TiaraMichelle97) August 26, 2016
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