Memorial High School - Reata Yearbook (Houston, TX)

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ff' WITH MUSICAL EXPERI- ENCE SINCE SEC- OND GRADE. Freshman Barbara Cannon was the only band member to succeed in mak- ingrstate band. he atmosphere at state tryouts was extremely tense. I was shak- ing so badly. ' said Barbara. And because placement is based only on the performance at the tryout. if you get nervous you blow the whole thing. You could just see fingers shaking, said Barbara. After making region band. Bar- bara, Drum Major Dirk Silva and Band President Linda Gall tried out for area. Top chairs in area were considered members in state. Since she made second chair in area. Barbara qualified for state. From symphonic band at Spring Branch Junior High, Bar- bara was one of four incoming freshmen who made symphonic band in high school. Once in senior high school. Barbara found the symphonic band a lot better. We got a lot more done, she said. Of the social atmosphere. she felt that students in marching band were family close. Since she already accom- plished about all that she could in sym honic band, Barbara was chalienged by other contests such as Concerto and Solo and Ensem- ble contest. I like all the outside bands. There was so much you can do, she said. Barbara's background in music beigan when she took piano in secon grade. In fourth grade she began playing the flute. -30 - f- Jackie Gelb TRYING TO CONCENTRATE ON THE MUSIC, and not on the photographer, Junior Debbie Hunt and Dixon Presswood listen carefully for tuning on a sight-reading piece, Dies Natal- lis. These three players. Dirk Silva. Linda Gall and Freshman Barbara Cannon. succeeded in making area band and tried out for state on January 20. More individual competition chal- lenged players with solo and ensemble contest. As a band. the players worked toward concert and sightreading. striv- ing for sweepstakes. In spring the band traveled to Six Flags for its annual Spring Tour. -30- 7 Judi ir' GCN? Brass 155

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s f,g.g:,.1i.,,,f1:tr- BAD .akin lifea little ea ier Marching and medals form loudest exercise of spirit ike a closely-knit family, the band, furthered by Director Jack Greenberg, gathered its members and took family trips, threw its own parties and banquets, marched on the field and joined together to play concerts. It's a really good organization, said Band President Senior Linda Gall. Whether practicing marching music and steps for halftime or rehearsing concert pieces for contests, the students in band dedicated much of their time to band. A Sophomore Drew Masterson esti- mated that he spent five to six hours a day on band during marching season, including band during school hours, practice after school and then practice at home with his instrument. Marching season began in August and ended with the conclusion of foot- ball season. During the first week in August the incoming freshmen learned the basics of marching, then the rest of the band members joined the practice the second week. The last week in August the group began concentrating on the first show for football season, according to Masterson. Summer practice was necessary, because, said Masterson, alt just takes a while to get back in the swing of marching. Interspersed between marching sea- son and beginning of concert season, the band worked on auditioning in Brass November for region orchestra, said Linda. Those who made region tried out for state orchestra. However, this year no band members made state orchestra, although some students in orchestra succeeded in making state. In December, the symphonic band played a concert for the Rotary Club. Later the symphonic, concert, and cadet bands performed for Spring Branch Junior High. X Marching band, which was a combi- nation of the symphonic and concert bands, gave themselves a Christmas party where Drum Major Dirk Silva padded his belly to become Santa Claus. The party, at Senior Sarah Har- well's house, was held on the night of the last Friday before the holidays. Band students drew names and then exchanged toys which they donated to the DePelchin Faith Home. The band members presented a round trip ticket to Mr. Greenberg to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which, according to Linda, was the one thing he wanted to dof' The organization of the band was slightly complex to an outsiderg it was divided into four bands and a newly formed stage band. Training band, the lowest band, was basically a beginners classf' according to Senior Linda Donaho. '4They don't play in a group or ensemble, added Linda. SENIOR SARAH HARWELL and Sophomore Judi Cooper divide their attention between the music and conductor Mr. Jack Greenberg in concert band. Photo by Kathy Epps. Cadet band, the next level, competed in contest and was Nan active organized band with sections, said Linda. Cadet band occasionally combined with marching band in concerts. The second highest, Concert Band, combined with Symphonic Band, the top band, to march on field during football games. Competition in these bands was more active, with tryouts for bands at the end and middle of the year. With an estimated 17 players, Stage Band was created for the first time by Greenberg, according to Silva. We're just playing through a lot of music, said Silva. Band officers included President Linda Gall, Vice President Deirdre Happe, Treasurer Denise Pierson, and Secretaries Belinda Baird and Maurene Moffett. Band sweetheart was Janet Hacker. Auditions for district, region, area, and state chairs resulted in 18 students making region, 3 of them placing in top chairs. Top: SURROUNDED BY NOTES OF DESPERA- TION, such as see me today! and sectional rehearsals this week, Director Jack Greenberg directs the Symphonic Band on the piece Hindsmith with full concentration.

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SHORT STORIES OCCU- PIES MRS. JOYCE YOUNG'S FRESHMAN ENGLISH CLASS for part of the year. Mythology and ROMEO AND JULIET help to fill the rest of the year along with the tradi- tional grammar. Photo by Kathy Epps. ONE ACT PLAYS WERE POPULAR when Freshman English class studied analo- gies. Kirk Waldor and Lance Meiia act out The Valiant. Photo by Kathy Epps. SEPARATION OF FRIENDS is one solution to talking during free reading. Fresh- man Steve Poole is moved up next to the teacher's desk to help stop talking. Photo by Kathy Epps. Special Report, Freshman English . . . Fl'l'.9lIl7lf'lI lwzrn llzv ABCS The Basics I 1 l l l rudging through the very basics of the Ninth Grade Englishf program. freslunan students ran the gamut from grannnarl skills to mythology in their studies. I Short stories initiated freshmen to the program. Included in they unit were stories by authors such as Edgar Allen Poe and Sher-I wood Anderson. Almost all of them liked the short stories. said Freslunan Eng-f lish teacher Mrs. Joyce Young. Some of our best stories are not? by well-known authors. A After a cursory'touch of non-fiction. mythology was the next ' unit studied. Using an Edith Hamilton text. Greek and Classical! mythology excerpts were read. including love stories. stories of ' creation. and heroes. As for mythology. Mrs. Young commented that students either, liked it a lot or not at all. .Classic novels were explored with an in-depth study of Charles Dickens' .4 Taft' of Two C'ilfL'.Y and Grunt E.xyu't'Ir1lim1.s-. Learning to put together a five-paragraph paper and writing compositions played a lnajor part of Freslunan English. Compos- itions were written for anything being studied at the time. Students adapted to formal Elizabethan language in their study of drama. William Shakespeare's Rmmw mul .luliul was the major play studied. Teachers used different methods in teaching Ronuw and JIIIIUI. What our class did was before each scene they would .give a part to each person and read the play. said Freslnnan Wendy Kaplan. lt wasn't really acting -it wasjust reading. Poetry studied included short poems and Rwnm um! .lllfft'l. According to Mrs. Young. Roman um! .IIIHUI is both poetry and dranla. Contemporary novels closed out the year with students given a choice of novels to read. Tllrougltout the year grannnar and vocabulary studies were illterspersed. Such thorough coverage of material prepared fresh- men students to move onto Sophomore English. - 30 -