Dressed in black, white and silver, tall feather plumes protruding from their heads, mirrors reflecting the blinding stadium lights, sweat dripping down flushed faces, re-soaking already sweat-stained collars, Randall band students compete yearly amongst music-playing Oklahomans.
For four years, the Randall band, along with its seven-year band director, David Wright, has attended the Putnam City Marching Contest, just outside of Oklahoma City. 18 bands competed against each other in preliminaries this year, each striving to be in the top 12 and make it to finals. This year, the Randall band performed its show, Metropolis, which focuses on the different parts of city life.
“For where we were in the season, [our performance at Putnam] was really good,” Wright said. “We were ahead of where we had been in the past.”
Randall’s placing at Putnam City has steadily increased over the years, from not placing the first year, to 12th, then third, and finally second this year.
“Every time we perform, the band improves,” Wright said. “Competition particularly helps us; it makes us really step up. We also get the advantage of comparing ourselves to other bands and finding our weaknesses.”
The scoring system at this competition is based from zero to 100, zero being the worst and 100 being the best. After making it in the top 12 in prelims, Randall received only five hundredths of a point less than first place in finals.
“It was a solid performance, with good ensemble music and marching,” Wright said.
There were definitely some errors present, enough to dock off 24.15 points, giving Randall a score of 75.80.
“[Our weakest area was] the individual execution of the students,” Wright said.
When all of the students in the band work their hardest, striving to do their very best, one, flowing band is seen, not just individual students. The leadership needed to achieve this is not only found in the directors, but also within the student leadership team.
“This year, we have the best group of leadership we’ve ever had, but the next group will step up [next year],” Wright said.
Last year’s band show, with the theme of Rhythms from America’s Past-Time, set high standards for the band, which some believed could not be topped. However, Wright said that the band has done just that, and his pride is evident.
“This is the best year we’ve ever had,” Wright said.