The Odessa High School band may be small, but they are mighty.
Band Director Sonia Campos is leading 110 students this year, which is low enrollment. The group has been practicing since July 24.
They had a welcoming ceremony that day, but started “hitting it hard” the next day.
“We’re small, but the kids are working hard and we’re making really great progress. We’ve had a lot better consistency with attendance and these 110 students are really buying into the system and, and just creating really great product for us,” Campos said.
The show includes the Color Guard with the JV Showgirls and Showgirls.
She added that the students are working very efficiently and they are looking forward to putting the production on the field and having a full show.
This year’s theme is “From the Ashes.”
“It’s basically the process of creating a diamond. We have lots of different music, Diamonds by Rihanna, Vesuvius by Frank Ticheli, Symphonic Metamorphosis by Paul Hindemith, Ashes, which is the ballad, which is the main theme of our whole production, by Celine Dion. And then we also have the Speed of Heat by Julie Jarrell. It’s a really great meat production. The music is really exciting. The kids are really enjoying it. We have a really great drill that we’re putting on the field. We’re just really stoked. We have really great props. We’re going to have a large volcano involved, lots of rocks, lots of diamonds on the field. So it’s really exciting,” Campos said.
Her team got together and devised the theme, but Assistant Band Director Eric Montgomery was the one who brought the idea.
Campos said she has many students returning.
“Our retention is good is very good. We are just not seeing as many students coming up from the middle schools, unfortunately. We have a total of 25 freshmen this year, so it’s definitely hurting us. But again, we’re teaching the kids that we do have in front of us. We’re just hoping that we can inspire the rest to join us maybe by the start of this school year, and hopefully get a few more numbers in,” she added.
In the past, Campos said OHS would get at least 50 students from each campus.
“With COVID numbers hitting us pretty hard at Bowie we only had 800 students total and then at Crockett, we’ve had less than 1,000 for the past couple of years and then just low numbers due to the COVID classes. Now we’re seeing the rise in numbers in those campuses, but having Ector just not have the opportunity for our students to participate in band, as they should, has really affected us. We have two students from Ector. That’s it; out of the whole band program.Those are just go-getter students; students that are willing to put in the extra work to stay involved in the extracurriculars. It’s been a tough situation, but we’re trying to make it the best of it. We’re definitely looking forward to the school year with our students,” she added.
The first game the band will perform in is Homecoming, Sept. 15, against Amarillo High School.
Campos describes her group as small but mighty.
“Our sound production is definitely improved from last school year. I think it was a true testament to the work that we did fundamentally in the spring semester. Retaining our students from that spring semester has really helped that cause. The kids, again, are buying into the system; believing what we’re teaching; and really taking it to heart and practicing those things on a daily basis,” Campos said.
She added that it’s creating wonderful band sounds already.
“It’s not even the first day of all students coming back,” Campos said Aug. 9. “I’m just excited to get everybody back in and seeing what we can do.”
The band practices on the blacktop at the corner of 10th Street and Whitaker Ave. outside the School Nutrition building. They start off inside with a music rehearsal, but always take time to practice outside.
“… Safety always comes first. We are taking precautionary measures. Everybody’s required to wear sunscreen. Everybody’s required to have a water jug with them at all times. We also have what we call a water cow that fills up our water jugs whenever they become empty, so we have about 100 gallons of water out there at all times,” Campos said.
They take water breaks every 10 minutes and everybody sips even if they’re not thirsty. She added that it’s important that they keep this up throughout August.
Campos said this is probably the worst summer she’s ever been part of and she’s from Midland.
“I’ve never seen it like this. I’ve never felt it like this and it’s definitely affecting everything that we’re doing around here,” Campos said.
Their time outside is limited, so students know that when they are on the blacktop it’s “go time.” They average about an hour and a half outside.
“They are truly doing the best that they can to get as much of the drill down as they can while we do have the opportunity to be out there. …,” Campos said.
Campos said she wants to ensure that the community supports the Odessa High School band program moving forward and everything the west side has to offer.
“We’re working hard. The kids deserve a large crowd out (at) Friday night football games. That goes for our football team, our cheer squad, our Showgirls and all those people that participate in those things. Perhaps they can start coming out to all of the sporting events and fine art events that we host because we have really great students at Odessa high school and we would love to showcase them throughout the school year,” Campos said.
Sixteen-year-old junior Elijah Sandate and Shijay Sivakumar, a 15-year-old sophomore clarinet player, feel this year’s band has made lots of progress.
Both have been in band since sixth grade.
“I feel like we’re a lot more connected. The whole band likes to interact with each other and we’re really friendly toward each other,” Sandate said.
Sivakumar said they are all very close to each other and more prepared than last year.
“I think we’re in a very good spot right now,” Sivakumar said.
Sivakumar said he thinks the band’s overall goal is to get to state competition.
“… I really think that if we all work together we can achieve whatever goals we want,” he added.
Sandate said he thinks that objective is possible.
“I think we will be able to make it to state. A lot of the leadership team, I know we’re working very hard trying to make sure everything behind the scenes is going good, as far as with marching season and connecting more with our sections. I just feel like the band’s net motivation is higher this year,” he added.
Both boys said the band’s connection will help them as they go through the season.
“Because we all can rely on each other a lot more and that’s really important because marching band is really like … a team activity. We all have to work together to achieve what we want to do,” Sivakumar said.
Sivakumar said he wanted to join band because he really likes music.
“I thought it was just a fun and unique opportunity,” Sivakumar said.
Sandate said he used it as a way to make new friends and meet new people.
“I feel like I’ve made countless number of friends through the band program,” he added.
Neither has minded putting in the extra work to be part of the group. Weather has also played a factor this year.
“… I think we’re just doing the best that we can and no matter the conditions we’re in we always give our full effort,” Sivakumar said.
Sandate said he feels like band is a big part of who he is today.
“… Every time I go home, all I’m thinking about is tomorrow’s rehearsal; what we can do better and what changes we can make,” Sandate added.
He said he feels that this year’s production — the marching and the music — is very good.
“… I feel like this year, our show, it’s going to hit people in the heart in a good way,” Sandate said.
Sivakumar agrees.
“Our show was really well designed this year, I feel like, and I think we can do a lot of great things this year that we haven’t done in a very long time,” he added.
