By Betty Kaldas
On Saturday, Nov. 22, Fountain Valley High School’s (FVHS) Royal Regiment performed their fall season ield show at Huntington Beach High School for 4A Division Championships. Their extraordinary performance, entitled “Way of the Water,” encapsulated the calming demeanor of water in its various composed pieces.
Inspired by the famed “Avatar: The Way of Water” movie, the performance is centered around water and its elements. From the leisurely, precise movements of the drum line to the cerulean blue of color guard’s flowing costumes, the visual and musical effects of the performance reflected the surface of water.
According to band and orchestra teacher Jackson Lai, the band members collectively put in hundreds of hours into weekly rehearsals, endlessly perfecting and polishing their production.
“We rehearse an average of 10 to 15 hours a week,” Lai said. “I would say it’s over 200 hours for a season of not just practice, but including show and competition days … It’s important for students to understand the progress and the process of an entire season of marching band.”
In terms of guidance on the field, sophomore Sunny Ezell and senior Thomas Hartman lead the performance. As drum majors, they collaborate together to keep the time and order of the entire production. From the trombones to the clarinets, all eyes are on the drum majors for direction.
“I love seeing everyone grow from the beginning,” Ezell said. “Especially the freshmen and the new people. You get to see them really grow and become comfortable in what they’re doing.”
Moving their hands in triangular movements, Ezell and Hartman indicate the time signature for the musicians playing on the field.
As for the outcome of the competition, both the band and their teacher are extremely proud of how they performed on the field. From their music performance to their overall organization, they truly demonstrated all their hard work they put in.
“I’ve done music all my life, and it’s truly a passion for me,” Lai said. “My favorite part [of teaching music] is when students start to understand how to create music at a high level.
Placing 6th out of 30 other bands, FVHS Royal Regiment advanced to the State Championships, which will be held at Colony High School on Saturday, Dec. 6th.
