Bands of America is an organization that runs a major circuit of high school marching band competitions and events all over the United States, culminating in the annual Grand National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana. This weekend, Rouse participated in the Austin Regional, placing second in their category, the semifinals and fifth overall in the finals.
“The work that we put in this week definitely showed up a lot in our run-through, I thought the run was very strong and there were a lot of strong elements,” drum major Maanas Gondipalli said. “The main thing is just getting people to be more bought in and perform everything more, and I think we did that very well today.”
“The Liminal Space” showcases the different aspects of change and the uncertainty of transformation. Sudden shifts in music and evocative visuals immerse the audience in the show’s moments of transition, leading them through an experience filled with surprises and challenges that come along with the journey.
“The Liminal Space is about the transition, the in-between period about what once was and what’s becoming and you’re stuck in that state in the middle,” Gondipalli said. “I think it’s a representation of the Rouse Band program and that transition we’re going through with the truck wrap, the uniforms and all the new things we’re changing about this program, it’s taking us to that next level.”
Bands of America was a useful experience for the band, and now the band will channel their energy into learning the last part of the show, the closer, as well as improving the other parts of the show in preparation for the Texas Marching Classic in October.
“The overall goal [at this point of the season] is to just keep better, and play more together, and all the little things that weren’t as important before, we have to make sure they get better and better too,” Drill Instructor Simon King said. “It’s not just the big things, it’s the little things too.”
Last weekend, the percussion section participated in Thunder in the Hills. Thunder in the Hills is an annual high school percussion invitational hosted by the Dripping Springs High School Band in Texas. The competition invites marching band percussion sections from across the state to perform music from their fall shows and compete against each other in the process.
This year, the Rouse High School percussion section placed ninth out of ten schools, competing in the Advanced Large category for the first time in the school’s history.
“I mean, placements are really cool and all, but the most important thing is to make sure that you’re having your best run every time,” King said. “[You] go out there and do your best that you can, and that’s what really matters. It doesn’t matter what you can’t control, it’s what you can control, how good it can be.”
In addition to the percussion section performing, the soloists also join the competition. This year, eight soloists performed with the percussion section.
“Being a soloist makes me feel both nervous and makes me feel like I’m truly doing something in the show,” bassoon soloist Isaac Stoddard said. “It’s great being able to play my instrument that I didn’t think I’d [ever] play in a marching show.”
In all, while the Rouse didn’t bring back any medals or trophies, Thunder in the Hills was an opportunity for the percussion section to get feedback and prepare for BOA Austin.
“I think it was definitely a very good experience to go to Thunder in the Hills because the percussion section had a performance under their belt,” Gondipalli said. “I think having that experience helped the percussionists a lot in that they already had that experience and so they were able to channel their energy and their hype towards focus and [taking in] information that helped their performance [today].”