Bingham band: 2012 season recap

This is the article recapping the Bingham High School Marching Band's 2012 season that will appear in the team's post-season yearbook.

By  Bruce Smith
Matchup
 
            After a season of countless practice sessions in all kinds of weather, classroom sessions, football games and competitions, the Bingham Marching Band’s season came down to one day.
            It was Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012. The entire group was in St. George and had already finished its show in front of the crowd at Desert Hills High School. The worst part was the waiting.
            “They didn’t announce us until last,” said band director Darin Graber. “It’s a big deal to make it to BOA (Bands of America) regionals and make it to the finals. Huge, huge, huge.”
            It was a day of celebration for Bingham. Later, while the group was walking en masse to its final show, they had their most emotional moment.
            “We were walking down the street and all the bands (who hadn’t made the finals) stood up and started clapping for us,” recalled Lisa Forsyth, the flute section leader. “It was the best moment in my while life. I had chills running down my spine that (those) people actually thought about us. It was an amazing moment.”
            “The kids felt like they were six inches off the ground,” said Graber, who felt the same way.“
            Bingham finished fifth overall at BOA, but made history by taking third place among the 5A Utah schools. Graber said Bingham hadn’t competed at BOA before because it took place on a different date than the Red Rocks Invitational (also in St. George).
            In 2012, they were pared together so many schools, including Bingham, didn’t have to make two trips.
            “It was considered the actual state championship,” Graber said. “It was big for us to beat Sky View when it counted. We also beat Mountain Crest, and destroyed Lehi.
            “These kids are a different breed. Kids outside of band don’t know what it’s all about, but it was a big deal.”
            Graber said that 12 years ago, the marching band had just 40 members and to have this much success was unthinkable. American Fork and Davis were always at the top, but Bingham set a precedent by eclipsing the other 5A schools.
            “The attitude is changing,” Graber said. “Finally, we’re getting the reputation for this school and for the students. Marching band is hard and the kids deserve a lot of credit. You have to put together a musical program, play and march. It’s a lot of work and a lot to remember.”
            The season actually started shortly after school was dismissed. In mid-June, Bingham took part in the annual South Jordan Parade and some students also represented various groups in other summer parades.
            Band Camp was a two-week event at the school that kicked off the team’s fall hopes. Under the hot sun, they began learning the music and the steps of their show. The grueling effort wasn’t for everyone, and the team had to make adjustments.
            But then the fun started. There were nine competitions, a half-dozen football games (and one performance at Rice-Eccles Stadium), fundraisers and a bus ride to Disneyland that felt almost like  it was the finishing touch and led to a lot of lasting friendships that were built on the way.
            With all due respect to the “Happiest Place on Earth,” there was a better memory built for the Bingham Marching Band, and it may lead to more soon.

Bingham band: Marc Lund profile

In early January, I interviewed Marc Lund, the senior section leader of the group's baratone section. Here is the article that will appear in the Bingham 2012 Marching Band yearbook.

Marc Lund:

 

His efforts with the section’s players

motivated them to be among the best

 

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

 

            When Marc Lund and the baratone section was on the practice or playing field, they weighed in six pounds heavier than normal.

            It wasn’t them, of course. It was their instrument. By the end of the Bingham Marching Band’s season, Lund said the workouts made him 15 pounds lighter. In two years, he had lost 35 pounds.

            “It was a lot of hard work,” said Lund, who was section leader for two years. “We did Jazz running. It was a way to run while keeping your upper body still. With the baratone, you have to hold it up and it’s a heavy instrument. You have to have good back and shoulder muscles.”

            The baratones probably just looked at the flute section and rolled their eyes, but their hard work paid off. Besides the extra conditioning, most of the group learned a new instrument. While Lund was proficient with it, most of the others were not.

            “People don’t realize is that almost 80 percent of our section consists of trombone players and they had to learn the (baratone) instrument when they came in. (Bingham band director Darin) Graber doesn’t like the marching trombone in our band. It’s a long instrument and I assume that’s why we don’t have it.”

            There were nine people in the section. Graber said what set the group apart was its discipline. Last year, they had perfect attendance and this season was near-perfect.

            “Their record since Marc has been section leader has been great,” he said. “He works them hard, but they enjoyed being there.”

            “I was really impressed with the rookies this year,” Lund said. “A lot of my baratones did incredibly well. The group we had were more devoted and had higher morale. They seemed more motivated every time we did something.”

            Lund’s musical career has also been impressive, and came to fruition this year. He comes from a musical family. His dad is a singer, and mom plays the piano. He started playing the baratone in seventh grade, the trombone in ninth grade and tuba the year after.

            He was named the baratone’s section leader because the group did not have a senior. This year, he teamed with his good friend, Alex Ford. He said one of the team’s biggest issues was trying to motivate some of the newer kids, but as the season progressed, they all got better.

            Graber said many of the baratone players were involved in other activities – soccer, choir, theater and more. However, they arranged their schedules that worked out for everyone. Even Lund had other interests – Mountain Biking Club, woodworking – that weren’t affected.

             That kind of teamwork helped Bingham reach a goal – third place at the Bands of America competition in St. George. Lund said that was easily the team’s season highlight.

            “It was exciting for all of us, especially because of the way we finished,” he said. “We had a great group of players and strong performers.”

            The Marching Band season ended on a high note for everyone. After high school, Lund said he planned to serve an LDS Church mission and then go to a Utah college, majoring in business with perhaps a minor in art.

            “Not sure how much music I’ll be playing,” he said. “If I minor in music, I’ll still play and I hope to be part of a band.”

 

Bingham band: Holly Bennett profile

In early January, I interviewed Holly Bennett, who was the Junior Drum Major for the school's marching band. She recently moved from California and was almost immediately recognized as someone who could help Bingham keep moving up in the local ranks. Here is the article that will appear in the Bingham 2012 band yearbook.

Holly Bennett:

 

Her California background should
help Bingham become even better
 
Bruce Smith
Matchup

             Holly Bennett’s potential to help the Bingham Marching Band was noticed almost immediately.

            Bennett moved to South Jordan from San Diego in Dec. 2011 and approached band director Darin Graber shortly afterward.
            “I figured she would be fantastic,” Graber said. “She knows when it’s time to be serious and when to have fun. The kids gravitated to her right away.”
            Two of Bennett’s older sisters were drum majors in high school.
            “I didn’t want to do it,” she said. “It’s about leading the band that you can’t do from any other position. I also got to know everyone, instead of a small group. It introduced me (to Bingham) in a positive way.”
            Bennett came to Bingham’s late-summer band camp with a specific goal: to learn and remember every member’s name.
            The rest is history and, since she is a junior, Bennett’s full impact on the band won’t be completed until next year when she finishes her term as the Senior Drum Major. Her family moved to Utah when her father received a new job.
            Bennett can play the piano, guitar, flute and tuba. She said she played in her school’s tuba section and the move was delayed until the California marching band season ended. She said the bands there are competitive and she hoped her experience there could help Bingham to even higher standards.
            “What makes a good band is real unity,” she said. “They have to feel what they’re playing, not just going through the notes. When they do that, the audience can feel it, too.”
            Bennett felt that Bingham’s success at the Bands of America competition in St. George was the highlight of the season, and she was overwhelmed – and almost came to tears – when the other teams gave Bingham a rousing overation.
            She said it was difficult to tell if the BOA show was Bingham’s finest performance.
            “It’s hard to pinpoint the best one,” she recalled. “Maybe it was all the adrenaline I was feeling at the time, but it was one of our best.”

Bingham band: Lisa Forsyth profile

In early January, I interviewed Lisa Forsyth, the flute section leader of the Bingham (Utah) High School Marching Band. She always had a lot of energy, and came up with good ideas to improve the group's morale until it became one of the group's best assets. Here is the article that will appear in the Bingham 2012 band yearbook.

Lisa Forsyth:

 Her energy helped the section improve

and become a huge overall asset

By Bruce Smith

Matchup
 
            Lisa Forsyth was a remarkable addition when she became Bingham Marching Band’s flute section leader.
            Her outgoing personality helped turn the section around, and the flutes became a popular part of the 130-person team. She always showed a lot of energy.
            “She did an awesome job,” said band director Darin Graber. “She built section unity and they locked in together. It was such a 180-degree turn from what we had.”
            Her exuberance wasn’t limited to band. Forsyth also competed on the track team in the 100 and 200-meter sprints, which she practiced as a ninth grader when she rushed from South Jordan Middle School to Bingham to make it in time for practice.
            Her role on the band this year was no fluke. To Forsyth, it seemed more like destiny. Her musical story began in seventh grade, when she started playing the flute. She said there had been no real musical background in her family. That year at South Jordan Middle School, she just had to choose an elective and her options were art, band or orchestra.
            “Band sounded kind of cool,” she said. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Ever since I was little, I liked the sound of the flute. It was elegant and it fit me and my personality.
            “It has determined my whole life.”
            Forsyth remembered the scene that changed everything. It was the day the Marching Band visited South Jordan Middle.
            “They played in front of me. It was a whole, big sound and it was amazing,” she said. “It gave me goose bumps and I wanted to be part of it. It was like a big family.”
                She has never lost that excitement. She recognized there were problems in the flute section last year, but she changed it by becoming fast friends with the 10-person group.
            It started at Bingham’s late-summer band camp. Forsyth said it was one of her favorite memories of the year. She tried to figure out each person’s personality and make a connection with them.
            “It felt great in my heart,” she said. “Mr. Graber wanted us to be more united and good.”
            They group often met outside of school and “hung out.” She said they became a separate family. They had breakfast together before competitions. They played yard camps. During camp, Forsyth even invited the group to her home nearby for lunch and dinner.
            “We didn’t do anything that cost a lot of money,” she said. “We just had fun together.”
            The section actually included seven flutists, two piccolos and one oboe. Zach Weber was the oboe player and his talents were so impressive that he even had a separate microphone.
            “He was our main soloist and was like a rock star,” said Graber.
            Like most band members, Forsyth said the highlight of this season came at the Bands of America competition in St. George.
            “We were walking down the street and all the bands stood up and starting clapping for us,” she said. “It was the best moment in my entire life. I had chills running down my spine that those people actually thought about us. It was amazing moment.”
            She hopes those kinds of feelings continue. She said she plans to attend the University of Utah. She wants to major in the medical field, but minor in music and be part of the Utes’ marching band.
            “I talked to the band director and he said it would be the best experience ever,” she said. “You need something to lighten you up and it’s a lot of fun … like a big family.”
            Don’t be surprised if Forsyth, and perhaps other Bingham band members, join to continue the moment.
            Does that sound familiar? Don’t be surprised if Forsyth becomes a remarkable addition there, too. Time will tell.

Bingham band: Nathan Swallow profile

In early January, I interviewed Nathan Swallow, who was the section leader of the Bingham High School (Utah) tuba group. He has found an instrument he really likes to play and it has been a huge part of his life for a long time. Here is the article that will appear in the Bingham 2012 Marching Band yearbook.

Nathan Swallow:

 Once he started playing the tuba,

he has found it hard to put it down

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

             Nathan Swallow’s mother is a middle school choir teacher. It’s only natural that her offspring would have musical talents, too.

           “I have a really musical family,” said Swallow, the Bingham Marching Band’s tuba section leader. “It has been around my whole life. My brother plays the violin and my sister plays the cello. It’s awkward that none of us are singers, but that’s how it has worked out.”
            Swallow can sing, and has been part of his Ward choirs, but it’s not as big of a priority as playing the tuba. He started in the fifth grade at Murray’s Twin Peaks Elementary and, these days, it’s rare that he’s not holding it.
            “It’s not a marching band without trumpets, and Nate was one of the best players in the building,” said band director Darin Graber. “His was a pretty young section and had a lot of new kids. He was a monster player and is on the horn non-stop.”
            While his main interests are the tuba and being involved in Bingham’s political science club, the musical aspect of his life has taken the most hours. He spent countless hours practicing while being part of the Jordan (School) District’s Honor Band and symphony, Bingham’s Jazz Band and Wind Symphony. He has played at Abravanel Hall in downtown Salt Lake City and even has stood alongside a Granite District group.
            “I have a lot of songs in my book,” he said. “At any given time, I’m playing 10 or 11 songs, depending on how many groups I’m in. I like to go out and see what I can play in the community.”
            Swallow was a good candidate to be the section leader because he was one of just two seniors this year in the group. He said the highlight of the marching band’s season was definitely at the Bands of America competition. He felt Bingham’s rise to 5A’s upper echelon is the first of many to come.
                “We were super excited to make the BOA finals,” he said. “People would ask if we would make it and we were never really sure. We would sometimes talk a little bit about beating Davis and AF (American Fork), but we mainly talked about trying to beat own scores. As long as we showed growth in the competition, that’s all that mattered.
            “We can beat those teams but we just need people to come back and want to be here and try. I don’t think it’s the number (of members) that matter, but the people who want to be there. You can get the same sound from 135 people as 230 or however many you have.”
            Swallow said his best friends in the band were Annie Ahlstrom, Nicholas Lilly and Alex Romero. He also admitted that, Ahlstrom is not really his twin sister. Some people might think they have similar looks, but it’s not true.
            “We started to tell people that we were twins as part of a prank,” he said. “For a while, the entire guard believed it. It was funny to have them look at it us and say, ‘Oh, I see it now,’”
            Swallow said he will continue to follow the Bingham Marching Band’s rise, but expects to leave on an LDS Church mission by next Fall. He also planned to attend college somewhere in Utah afterward, and focus on music, perhaps studying to be a music teacher.
            “I can’t see music not being part of my life,” he said.

Bingham band: Annie Ahlstrom profile

In early January, I interviewed Annie Ahlstrom, the section leader of the Bingham Marching Band's clarinet section. Her family has played a big part in the Bingham band for years and she was instrumental (sorry, couldn't help the pun) as the group continued to advance toward the state's highest-ranked teams. Here is the article about her that will appear in the Bingham band yearbook.

Annie Ahlstrom:

Following a family tradition, she held

her section to a higher standard

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

            It has been a long time since a member of the Ahlstrom family wasn’t playing a big part of the Bingham Marching Band.
            First it was Bryan, then came Camille. This year was 17 year-old Annie’s turn. Following in the footsteps of her older siblings, she led a group of almost 20 clarinet players as Bingham built more respect among its state competitors.
           “That was the largest section of the band,” said band leader Darin Graber. “Clarinets are a great voice. It was a young section and they had to work hard because the music challenged them, but the full section was there (at practices, rehearsals, etc…) most of the time. Part of that is leadership.”
            Annie always had high aspirations. She started playing the piano at age 7, and music always seemed to be playing somewhere in the house. But besides band, Annie also showed some athletic ability.
            At one time, she hoped to also play basketball at Bingham. She said she had “a great four months” with the ninth-grade basketball team at Elk Ridge Middle School. However, there wasn’t enough time in the day for both, and she eventually chose band. Besides being the clarinet section leader, she was also the band council’s event chairman this year.
            Her mother, Marta, was the booster club president. Her younger sister, Hannah, was also a clarinet player and will likely keep moving up the ranks.
            “We’ve always been really involved,” Annie said. “There always seems to be music playing at home, too.”
            Annie started playing the piano at age 7, and learned the clarinet in junior high. She has been going to Bingham band concerts for as long as she could remember.
            “Graber calls the clarinet, ‘the viola of the band,’” she said. “It’s always a major part.”
            The clarinet players are also among her closest friends. They sat together on the bus rides throughout Utah and on to Southern California. Part of Ahlstrom’s role as section leader was to take roll and hand out the dot groups. The clarinet members were always well behaved.
            “They were very smart … very cerebral,” said Graber.
            Ahlstrom said her high-school highlight came at the Bands of America Competition in St. George.
            “We were sitting in the bleachers and we didn’t think we made the cut,” she recalled. “They didn’t call us until the last and then we were freaking out.”
            Other highlights were her clarinet solo at this year’s Christmas concert. She also spent a lot of time with the Bingham Pep Band at basketball games.
            “I like playing, ‘Hey Baby’ because everyone sings really loud,” she said. “It’s actually the trumpet players that are loudest, so I get to clap and sing.”
            Ahlstrom admitted that, while her musical interest may never wane, the long hours probably would. After graduation, she planned to attend Snow College and eventually earn a degree in elementary education.
            “I’ve loved it through high school,” she said. “I might play in a pep band in college. We’ll see.”

Bingham band: Nicholas Lilly profile

In early January, I interviewed Nicholas Lilly, the saxophone section leader of the Bingham High School (Utah) Marching Band. He was one of several interesting people I met on this visit. Here is the article that will appear in the Bingham band's 2012 yearbook.

Nicholas Lilly:

He helped hold his group together

and the result was a lasting memory

By Bruce Smith

Matchup

            One of the requirements of the saxophones section leader this year should have been a bottle of glue.

            Extra strength, it turns out. Not that it would do much good. But when you consider the time section leader Nicholas Lilly spent practicing with the Bingham Marching Band, then playing the saxophone, clarinet, flute and who knows what else, he also had to hold his group together.
            “It’s one of the larger sections of the band and Nick has done a great job with them,” said band director Darin Graber. “It was nice to have him in a leadership role.”
            Two members of the saxophone group left the squad during the season. In order to hide the holes they created, they were replaced by Josh Vincent and a talented eighth grader, McKenzie Lepley. As the season progressed, they didn’t miss a beat and the results more than pleased everyone.
            “I had to help hold the section together,” said Lilly. “The new people didn’t know the routine. I had to know my drill exactly, but I had to pay more attention to what my section was doing. I spent a lot of time watching video.”
            Like the rest of the band, the saxophones got off to a slow start but had earned a lot of respect by the end. Lilly said the highlight of the year was clearly the Bands of America competition in St. George.
            “The standing ovation we got from the other bands … it was surreal.”
            It was a perfect way to end the season and, in Lilly’s case, his Bingham Marching Band career.
            Lilly started playing the saxophone in fifth grade because he thought the instrument looked interesting. By high school, he had established his talent. But it was during his sophomore year (through his experience in Bingham's Jazz Ensemble) that he found a love for the saxophone and, more specifically, jazz music. He said it wasn't until late in his second marching band season that he loved the marching band as well.
            “I almost didn’t do it,” he said. “This year, it was especially tough. I have four AP (Advance Placement) classes. Band is difficult, but it’s worth it. I have no regrets.”
            “For the (band) department, he’s the real deal,” said Graber. “It would be easy for him to skip out on Marching Band, but he does the whole package.”
            Most of Lilly’s best high-school memories involve band. Prior to this year, he said his favorite memory was performing a solo in the Peaks Jazz Festival at Westlake High School.
            “It was a big deal and I won an award,” he recalled.
            Lilly said he liked to show his personality during the Marching Band’s shows. In fact, he said the saxophone members liked to boast they had the most personality of any of the groups. Lilly’s trademark included wearing a black-and-blue checkered bandanna during performances.
            It helped his hat fit better.
            “I just thought it looked cool,” he said.
            Lilly said he planned to continue his band career after graduation, but wanted to focus more on jazz. He planned to attend Utah State University and major in pre-veterinary medicine. He also hoped, of course, to minor in music, and occasionally play in local coffee shops.