Scott Schwartz

Marching band competes at Lafayette High School on Sept. 24.

While regular students’ Friday consists of classes and tests, the marching band attended the Bands of America (BOA) super regional competition in St. Louis, held at the Dome at America’s Center, Friday Oct. 21.

“It was not one of best performances. I think we were all overwhelmed with the crowd and the venue, it was the biggest place we have ever played,” tenor saxophone player and sophomore Sebastian De Villar said. “At one point of the competition, my shoe came untied, and I had to kick it off. I did the rest of the performance in only one shoe.”

The band placed 62 out of 64 after a five year hiatus from the competition.

“We didn’t place too well on a national scale, but that’s because there were bands from all over [the U.S.] at this competition,” tuba player and junior David Schmidt said. “We went more for the experience than we did to win anything.”  

Bands traveled in from Colorado, Ohio, Texas, Minnesota, Illinois, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Kansas, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Arkansas and Nebraska to participate.

“It was interesting to see all of the people who participate in band,”  Schmidt said. “I didn’t know that there were that many people involved in it.”

The Bands of America tournament was the last competition for the band season.

“I’m going to miss the people and all of the friends I have made,” color-guard captain and senior Kayla Johnson said. “I know that I can go to them for anything; they are my family.”

After arriving at the competition at 9:30 a.m., the band performed at noon, watched other bands perform until 4:30 p.m., and then came back to the Longhorn Stadium to perform at the football game that evening.

“It was a really long day,” De Villar said. “But I am so happy for the opportunity to be able to perform and then come back to support the football team.”