The Enumclaw High School marching band took a two-hour bus ride Sept. 24 to the first big competition of the season. The Peninsula Classic was the first chance for Enumclaw to show its stuff and make everyone back home proud.
Dressed in their Superman capes, the marching band walked through the parking lot at attention. Marching past school after school, EHS musicians grabbed the attention of all. Whispers were heard everywhere with people exclaiming, “cool” or “look at “them.”
Marching onto the field, the stands erupted with excitement. Throughout the performance whispers were heard by the coaches. Everyone was in awe of Enumclaw and how well its band worked the field. At the end or the performance, Enumclaw did something no other band did, dancing off the field to a drum cadence.
Other bands flocked to to say how amazingly the EHS band did. What floored people the most was the band did so well without a drum major, something that hasn’t been done successfully in several years.
After a little down time, Round 2 began. Enumclaw went to a remote area to practice before the second performance. As warm-up commenced, another band entered the area. Tailing the band were two of their coaches who went out of their way to tell EHS color guard coaches they were going to hold their band to the Enumclaw Hornets’ standard.
Come award time, Enumclaw received fifth place. Most impressive, Enumclaw was awarded the most prestigious award Peninsula offers – the Most Popular Award, voted on by the show staff.
How did Enumclaw celebrate? Led by Chris Beinke, the entire band shouted, “We are Enumclaw.”
Editor’s Note: EHS band director Lynda Alley said Peninsula High’s band program usually sets the performance bar, so stealing the limelight away from the hometown favorite and having Seahawk students and staff bestow such kudos was indeed a feather in EHS’s cap.
Alley shared an e-mail from Susan Peters, North Kitsap High School director of bands, who wrote, “My kids have been talking today about what a great sound your kids got and what a great attitude they have. Your group is contagious. They’ve infected mine. YEAH!!!!”
“That’s a big deal, for us to grab the attention with our small group,” Alley said.
On Sept. 23, Alley took 110 students to the Seattle Symphony for “Breaking Boundaries,” where students listened to performances of music by greats from Frank Zappa to Beethoven. They also visited the Seattle Art Museum and Pike Place Market.
By Mariah Weems
Enumclaw High student
