With only experience from middle school band, Thomas Miller came into marching band this year not knowing what to expect. But through the help of his fellow teammates and Mr. Kris Harper, Miller has been able to see the similarities and differences in order to adjust quickly to the team. After many practices and rehearsals throughout the week, the marching band prepared for one of their first events of the season —halftime at the Quarry Bowl.

Q: Have you been to Quarry Bowl before?

A: “I went last year when it was at Rocklin High School. It was exciting. I sat on the Rocklin side with my cousin because he goes there. My family is very into the football game.”

Q: What are you most excited for when you perform tonight?

A: “Definitely the halftime show. It’s going to be fun to perform our routine that we’ve been preparing for a while.”

Q: Does marching band have anything different planned specifically for the Quarry Bowl?

A: “Tonight will only be the beginning of our full show. Later on in the season, we will be performing the entire thing, and I think it’s a great show.”

Q: How did you prepare for tonight?

A: “[We had] practice and rehearsals three times a week. Lots of repetition and lots of sectionals with different instruments. I think that as a band, we have grown since this summer. Since band camp in August, we have definitely gotten better.”

Q: How often do you practice?

A: “We have practices Tuesday and Thursday, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. every week.

Q: Do you have any pre-show rituals?

A: “Usually right before we go onto the field through the tunnel, drum major Carl Porras will give us a pep talk about our performance and tell us that we will do great.”

Q: What is your favorite part about performing?

A: “My favorite part is performing for our people, and giving everyone in the stands a show that they will listen to and enjoy.”

Q: Is there anyone specific on the team that has helped you or inspired you?

A: “Carl [Porras], our drum major, Rachel [Larson] our wind sergeant, and Gabby [Bocchicchio], the horn sergeant for the brass. She has helped out with the brass section, and Rachel and Carl have helped out a lot for the wind section, and of course, Mr. Harper. He’s helped us so much to learn the show and the music.”

Q: Do you have any concerns about tonight’s show?

A: “Yes. Just in general, people not being prepared, for both the game and the pep tunes we will be playing during the game itself.”

Q: How is marching band different in high school than from middle school?

A: “I think it is very different, because it is a lot bigger of an age range. In middle school, it was just eighth grade and seventh grade, and split into the academies, while this year it’s much more open. I think it is a lot more unified compared to middle school.”

Although Miller’s expectations for the marching band’s halftime performance and the reaction it would get from the audience differed before and after the game, he believes that the band as a whole was successful throughout the show.

Q: How was the performance?

A: “I thought it went pretty well. We started off a bit shaky but once we got into it we made it happen.”

Q: Was the performance everything you expected?

A: “I expected a lot less. I didn’t expect for the crowd to be this big but I guess I should’ve expected a crowd this big because it’s the Quarry Bowl. It was definitely fun to perform tonight.”

Q: What was your favorite part of the performance?

A: “All of it. There was this one part where the mellophones and the saxes circle and I definitely found that exciting because that melody carries over to the rest of the band.”

Q: Is there anything else that you’d like readers to know?

A: “We worked a lot on our performance, and the whole marching band hopes that you liked it.”

by ZOEY CUMMINGS, SIENNA EAGLE, RENESE LOPEZ AND BLAKE WONG