The Westwood Warrior Marching Band has performed yet another successful rendition of this year’s show, Believe. On October 19, the annual University Interscholastic League (UIL) Marching Competition was held at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. UIL is an annual event where bands in the region showcase and display everything they have accomplished during marching season. The band prepared for the competition by rehearsing earlier in the day. 

“We had a two hour long rehearsal and solidified Part Six [of the music], which was rewarding because it’s the closer of the show and we got to experience the satisfaction of playing Part Six in front of an audience,” Adi Jandhyala ‘22 said. 

All the bands are judged on a scale from one to five, one being the best score. The ratings are given based on the visual aspects of the show. The performance given by the band marked one of the first times that Part Six of the show music was performed in front of an audience. Learning a new part includes newer props being introduced, including a flag resembling a mint candy. 

“We learned Part Six a couple of weeks ago, and I think we’ve worked on it to the point where everyone is comfortable with it. It feels good to now know the entire show,” drum major Will Sedberry ‘20 said.

The band subsequently earned a one on the rating scale, which did not surprise many members due to their success so far. Westwood Warrior Marching Band was able to make finals at both Bands of America (BOA) Austin and Houston, setting up a possible win at BOA San Antonio. With only two weeks until the final competition at BOA San Antonio, the band is now focused on performing at their highest capacity and making finals.

“I thought the band did really well [at UIL], but I feel like now that we have the whole show done, it’s all about refining and honing in on certain aspects of the show. Now that the target has been set and we know our goal, these next two weeks will be critical to get the show to 100%,” drum major Andrew Stevens ‘20 said.  

 In 2017, Westwood Warrior Marching Band made 19th at BOA San Antonio which was the highest recorded placement. This year, many members feel that they will be able to place in the top 14 which is what is needed in order to qualify for finals in San Antonio. 

“After today’s performance, the band really showed what they’re capable of,” drum major Sloka Chandrasekaran ‘20 said. “I feel really confident going into our next and final competition, and I’m really hopeful for the band’s future.”