Members of the Arvada West High School marching band work on formations at a field adjacent to their school, as they prepare for a new year of performances.
The Arvada West High School marching band is always a hit on football fields and in competitions. Before these young musicians get all dressed up in their purple and white and show what they’re made of, they had to put in their reps at the practice field, under the hot, unforgiving summer sun at band camp.
“This is the camp where we learn our music, and our competitive drill and show design. We are working on the fundamentals of music and marching for the next two weeks,” explained Arvada West High School Director of Instrumental Music Craig Melhorn.
There were a range of levels, ages, and abilities among the camp attendees, which included incoming eighth graders through twelfth graders. The week of camp was about getting all the students up, hopefully, to a similar level of achievement. That can be a difficult task, but is helped along by student leadership throughout the year.
“We put a lot of responsibility on the upperclassmen to teach the younger classmen what it means to be a marching member and just the techniques of that musicianship and marching. It gives them some ownership of the group,” said Melhorn.
The upperclassmen happily take on that challenge.
“We try to work together. We bring up the kids who are young, get them with the older kids and work from there,” said Arvada West senior and drum major Reece Classen. “I just love to see the growth and achievement they have during the entire season. It’s great to see how they come in a quiet person at band camp and at the end of the season, they’re just crazy.”
Fellow senior and color guard captain, Megan Gable, echoed that sentiment.
“I like watching everyone grow and it’s so amazing to see how everyone is so excited all the time and happy doing what they love. I feel as though it’s made me become a stronger leader and it’s inspired me to want to be a better person,” she said.
The work actually started back in February when the designs of the upcoming season’s performances were first sketched out. That was followed by leadership and drum major auditions in the spring. Finally, rehearsals were held once a week throughout the summer. It all culminated in this intensive 12-hour-a-day camp for a week, followed by an eight-hour-a-day camp the next week. Once school began, practices slowed down to Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays after school.
“It’s really about time management,” said Gable. “After guard or marching band, you go home and you do your homework as best you can.”
All that hard work and dedication certainly has its rewards, including trophies. However, being a part of band is about much more than that.
“I really try to teach the education of music and what it means to be part of the marching band,” said Melhorn. “For all the good and bad that happens with teenagers, seeing them grow over four years, develop musically into young adults … that’s kind of why we become teachers. That’s the great part.”
Watch the JPS-TV version of this story here.