Banding together

Mary A. Castillo

Before the bell signals the start of class, the 39 band students at

Sowers Middle School hurry to their seats and start pulling their

instruments out of cases.

“Hurry, hurry,” said Terri Wilson, the director of the band class. “We

only have a short time and this is a very important rehearsal.”

The bell rang and the nervous tapping of drumsticks and odd hoots from

the horns ceased. Wilson raised her baton, then the band launched into a

medley of the Armed Forces’ themes. The arrangement progressed a few

bars, but then she calls the band to a halt.

“I’m hearing some wrong notes in here,” she said, pointing to the

brass section. “And you’re not on beat.”

The band resumed from the top. Wilson’s ears can hear when a student

hasn’t practiced or if someone isn’t focused and she’ll stop practice to

correct each musician. Although she won’t accept slacking off in her

class, the students don’t seem to mind.

“It’s just something I do because it’s fun,” said Kevin Lim, 13, who

plays a green clarinet. However, he admitted that he spends at least an

hour and half every day practicing.

“Being in the band lets me do fun things like go to Knotts Berry

Farm,” said trumpeter Breanna Van Otterloo, 12.

She referred to the band’s participation in the music competition

sponsored by Music In The Parks early last month. After spending the

afternoon at Knott’s Berry Farm, the band and the Sowers Middle School

choir received unanimous superior ratings from the judges.

However, as the class tackled a difficult piece by Aaron Copland, the

mood definitely was not fun and games.

“It can get intense,” said percussionist Nolan Ryan, 14, who has his

own rock band.

The class, Nolan said, has been working on the Copland piece for about

a month. It doesn’t require much from the percussion section, so Nolan,

Patrick Corbit, 12, and Kevin Thai, 13, try to stay quiet until Wilson

moved the class to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

Sheet music fluttered, students readjusted instruments or chatted with

seat neighbors. But before they started, Wilson asked for everyone’s

attention.

“The people who always come in with me are giving me 100%,” she said.

“That’s what I want.”

The room filled with the familiar military drum rolls and the

triumphant flutes followed by the trombones. After a few attempts, the

band sounded tighter and the players appeared more confident with the

piece. Then the music soared into a crescendo that even Tchaikovsky

would’ve been proud of.

“That’s it,” shouted Wilson over the music. “That’s it!”

The band ended the piece but there was no collective sigh of relief.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the period.

Wilson held up her hands. She wasn’t satisfied with their performance

of the Copland piece.

“Who’s o7 notf7 going to be here after school?” she asked.

A few brave souls raised their hands. But soon they realized, they

were joining everyone else for more rehearsal.

But extra practice didn’t faze Johnny Matulich, 13, who plays the

clarinet.

“We get to go places and compete,” he said of his enthusiasm about

playing in the band. “I’m definitely playing again next year.”

* MARY A. CASTILLO is a news assistant with Times Community News. She

can be reached at (714) 965-7177 or by e-mail at o7

mary.castillo@latimes.com

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