As the school year kicked off on Aug. 21, marching band students are adjusting accordingly. Considering band camp has been in action for almost a month, the students are well accustomed to being at school all day.

Anyone familiar with the school’s band program knows they waste no time and practice relentlessly. With this year being a state year, the pressure heightens for marching band specifically.

They will take their new show titled “Serpentine” to their first contest on Sept. 30 in Southlake. The show tells a story based off Medusa from Greek mythology and holds a “beauty versus evil” ambience.

Marching band not only produces music, but also tells a theatrical-like narrative.

“We are performers,” sophomore tenor player Brandon Moore said. “Our band must perform and entertain our audiences every single time we showcase our work.”

Determination is definitely key in being a part of the organization. As of Sept. 11, the band will have practices every day, with the exception of Wednesdays and Sundays, and contests most Saturdays.

“Hopefully we will make it to state,” sophomore Ryan Johnson, who plays the tenors in the band, said. “It’s a lot of work, but performing makes it all worth it.”

The marching students will travel to San Antonio if they qualify for state in the fall.

Before school started, the band participated in a three to four week camp previous to school starting in preparation for the year. The practices lasted seven hours with an hour-long lunch break.

“This summer band camp was a little tougher because it’s a contest year, which means we have an extraordinary show to practice hard on,” sophomore Magalie Ochoa said.

Along with contests and practices, the band also participates in every football game, and performs twice during each evening. One performance is set during halftime, and the other is shown after the game for friends and family to see. With the quantity of performances, the band is well prepared when they present at contests.

So much passion and effort will be put into this year’s production, and the school can’t wait to see the outcomes of these marching competitions.

“With so many hours put in, we can only hope they pay off,” Johnson said. “I can see San Antonio in our future.”