The Ritenour band, under the leadership of Emma Kanerva, has grown in both numbers and experience since her first year directing in 2022.
Recently, the combined in-school bands, symphonic, jazz, and concert, have increased their competition presence from none in 2022 to one last year and two this year.
“This was only our second year going to a competition,” drum major Reagan Beverly said. “We did not get first place again, but we worked on our show and solos and used these elements to make the show better.”
The bands showcased their hard work in two competitions this year at Central Methodist University Band Day on Oct. 11 as well as at Greater St. Louis Marching Band Festival on Oct. 25.
“We have definitely been busier now that we added another competition. At CMU, we placed third this year, then we went to Greater St. Louis in Belleville and placed fourth there,” Kanerva said.
The addition of more competitions, although extra work, is a popularly supported choice among the musicians and across bands. Drumline leader Kailyn Gomez states that her favorite part is getting to perform at competitions because the audience is much more engaged than at a football game.
“Rather than being at a home game where the audience doesn’t always care, we’re performing in front of judges and families that do care and will say, ‘oh they did that,’” Gomez said.
In addition, the growing band also boasts individual auditions and competitions outside of school.
“We have a lot of students that are getting ready for big auditions with All Suburban, Bi-State, and solo and small ensemble,” Kanerva said. “One of my favorite things that I have seen with student development is that they are a lot more thoughtful musicians. I have had students start composing more. Last year, we featured an actual original arrangement of a song from ‘Black Ops Three’ that a student wrote himself.”
The in-school bands are not the only ones growing. Ritenour’s marching band has also increased in numbers, a reality that paves the way for many possibilities such as band tours where the marching band travels and performs for the younger grades. The additional football playoff games have also given the band more time to perform.
“We are going into the playoffs, which is not always a thing,” Gomez said. “Our playoff game is going to be fun and band tours are really the next thing that we have to look forward to.”
The band members started back in July, before school even began, and have been working hard for the last four months.
“Your journey with marching band starts in summer camp, especially if you are a drum line or color guard, you come in before the rest of the band.” Gomez says. “It is going to be brutal because it is summer and you are marching outside. But try to enjoy it and soak it up as much as you can because it goes a thousand miles an hour when you enter the actual school year.”
The long marching season finally wraps up with the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade downtown where performers are judged and showcased on live television.
Even though the season is long and consuming, those in the marching band highly recommend joining.
“If you are thinking about doing marching band, just do it.” Gomez said.
