By Staff
Melissa Cason, Franklin County Times
While the official start of the new school year has not yet begun, some students are already back to the grindstone.
The Russellville High School Marching Hundred has been hard at work this week learning new steps and new music as they put together their 2007 halftime show in the grueling July and August heat under the new direction of Gary McNutt, associate band director, Mark Andrews, and their guests: John Martin, Assistant Band Director for the University of Tennessee; Travis Green from South Carolina and Tyler Gean from UNA.
"We usually have help during band camp to help the students learn the show and the music," McNutt said.
McNutt added the color guard and majorettes also have special instruction during band camp. Darlina Holcomb is the color guard instructor and Tracie Boyles is the majorette instructor.
Band members have spent hours in the heat learning their positions and the marching routine, and will spend many more hours perfecting the look of their show and the sound of their music.
"This year's show includes music from Billy Joel," McNutt said. "And the design of the show is asymmetrical."
He added that each section spends time working on learning the music or routines for the show when they break into sectionals.
Sectionals are being held twice daily – approximately one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.
"In addition to the sectionals, we practice the sets of the show in the morning and the evening," McNutt said.
Band camp is like football two-a-days only with instruments and music instead of helmets and pads.
"All of our music is played by memory," McNutt said. "The students got their music last week."
McNutt expects to be able to put the moves and auxiliary routines together with the music by the end of the week.
The Marching Hundred performs every Friday night during football season in addition to two marching competitions yearly.