The AHS winter percussion, guard, and drum majors compete for the final time.
Mary Humphreys
Webmaster
The American High School Winter Percussion, Winter Guard, and Winter Drum Majors competed in the last competition of the season on Saturday March 22, 2014 at Foothill High School in Pleasanton. The competition started with the Winter Percussion, who have been working hard and building up to this day.
“I set a very precise calendar of what I needed to accomplish every day to pace myself and finish small goals on time,” senior, and percussion captain, Alan Cheng said. “My larger goal was for the members to enjoy this season and look back at it as an experience they will not forget; it’s fair to say that we have met this goal through our group’s cohesiveness and hard work.”
Winter Percussion ended up placing third in their respective division, ending the 2014 season. Seniors of the groups especially feel the impact of the season ending.
“I will miss the members the most; I have never been so comfortable leading any group until this season,” Cheng said. “However many connections I have in and out of school, I have never felt that I belonged so fully to a group of friends and musicians.”
Throughout the day, the American High Winter Drum Majors were also performing, doing both L-pattern competition, which mimics leading a parade; and field conducting, which mimics conducting a field show. The program is relatively new at American, only having been around for 4 years previously, but it is quickly gaining popularity.
“This season has been great because of the fact that we have so many people who are eager to try and how we can all help each other, therefore we’ve been very successful over the season,” junior Sean Jossy said.
All of the Winter Drum Majors did very well, and in L-Pattern competition American was able to sweep all the first place medals in each division.
“I have felt myself improve over the seasons, both by watching other drum majors and from getting help from other drum majors like Alvin [Apilado] and other people in our school,” Jossy said. “Every year you just learn so much from the competitions.”
Later in the afternoon, Winter Guard performed; this year their show was to the song “Gravity” by Sara Berrelis, attracting students not even in the music program to come join.
“I heard about winter guard from my friend and she kind of convinced me to go in,” freshman Ci “Shannon” Wu said. “ I think it’s fun like after school practices with everyone”
The Guard ended up placing third as well, giving the group a satisfying end to the winter
season.
“I think we did great because the first place goal is to have fun and it was a lot of fun this season, and it was my last season,” senior and guard co captain Tanya Komrosky said.
Although the departure of seniors in inevitable, each year new members come and the legacy lives on.
“You take things for granted that you don’t think you’re going to miss but then when you can’t have them anymore you miss them,” senior and guard co-captain Angelica Mack said.
Everything has to come to an end, and this is it for the 2014 winter season. Until next year, that is.
Eagle Era 