The lyrical melody of the instruments filled the field as the GHS marching band performed at their first competition of the season last Saturday, Sept. 23. They kept the rhythm going from seven in the morning until they arrived back at the school at around midnight. The team worked hard despite the troubles they faced this year with fewer players.
“Renew” is Gretna marching band’s 2023 theme. In the show, it is portrayed as plants beginning to grow after being burned down into a pile of ash. That is not the actual meaning though. There is a hidden message behind the show, and it’s all about the school community.
The Gretna High and Gretna East school split has affected many activities in both schools, including marching band. Just like other activities, the band has lost a good amount of players and will lose more when seniors graduate.
The theme “Renew” displays the message of the school split. They use the allusion of plants growing to demonstrate this current obstacle they face.
“Mr. Woodside and the staff got to make it from the ground up,” senior Andrew Kula said. “I think it’s really unique.”
Alexander Woodside, the head band director, created this piece of music to relate it to the local situation and custom-made the theme to fit the school split circumstance.
“They made it especially for us because of the school split,” sophomore Kenley Ronk said. “It’s like we’re growing new life, new people, even without the other school.”
The band being split apart also relates to the plants being burnt down. The band has renewed into a strong group, growing new life. There is a fresh group and new people to help it grow.
“It starts with everything burning and then you are left with the ash after the school split,” Kula said. “You get over the chaos and then everything simmers. Then eventually you find your new identity with half the people, but you can still blossom and become a good program even if you don’t have all the support you once had.”
The program is just starting to blossom for the season. The band received second place at the Titan Marching Band Invitational with percussion earning “Best Percussion.” The Capital City Marching Band Championship is coming up on Sept. 30.
Just like every other activity at GHS and GEHS, the band has to work around the challenges of the school split. They have to make improvements and continue to get better.
