Clarinda Band Jamboree 2014

      Well, that was it. Four years of labor, competitions, and dedication led me to Saturday. My last large competition. Throughout the last four years, I've grown from dreading marching band competitions to adoring every fleeting moment. Finally, the final moments came for me to compete against other bands.
       Our show this year was titled 'Fun, Fun, Fun'. It included the songs Fun, Fun, Fun, We Are Young(by the band Fun), Funkytown, and Some Nights(also by the band Fun). In street marching, we performed the song Funkytown by Lipps Inc. The song features tenor saxophone and mellophone solos/duets. Being the only tenor saxophonist in the Bedford Marching Band, I grew to love my opportunities to play solo and in a duet. The music for the year is not terribly difficult at all. That being said, the drill for our field show was a different story at times. As a band, we were advanced towards the beginning of year but then fell behind as the season progressed. Soon we came to find that the Clarinda Band Jamboree was just a week away! We worked our butts off to prepare drill for the upcoming Saturday. Unexpectedly, our crammed practices sufficiently prepared us for the day. Personally, I was confident and unafraid of what the day would bring. Those feelings were foreign to me as the previous three years I had spent worried.
        Street marching went well. In the 1A division, 22 bands were competing. We came in second place! By three points we lost to Fairfax. Coming in second is a huge deal at the Clarinda Band Jamboree! Considering that we lost by just three points makes it all the better. We are a winning band. What a wonderful way to leave Clarinda. In field competition, we also came in second. We followed Nishnabotna by a point or two. The Bedford Marching Band excelled this year.
        It's going to be difficult to leave my favorite thing about school behind. Marching band has been my motivation to wake up on most autumn mornings. Nevertheless, I'm very proud to have spent four years marching in the Bulldog Band. It has been the best four years.