A Tribute to Band

Kimiko Florando

Hail Amador

The first day of marching band camp, rounding the back of the band room and seeing a line of section leaders cheering you on as you, a confused and terrified freshman, scurry through the tunnel of arms raised in an arch, a seeming salute. Welcome to the band.

We’re loyal to thee evermore

They say that the friends you make in band are the ones that you will keep forever. These are the people that make up your community. The ones you will talk to in class, the ones you will go out with on fridays, the ones you will keep after highschool. Whether you consider yourself a band kid or not, you will always belong here. No matter how much it feels like you don’t, no matter how outcast you feel, give it some time. There is a place for you here.

True to thee we’ll always be

There comes a point when you have suffered with these people, after the burning days of bandcamp, the sun beating down its harsh refrain, after the biting cold of night practices, feeling frozen to the bone, after the weariness of dragging yourself back to band after the dinner break on a 12 hour day. There comes a point, as you keep coming back, year after year, when you become something more, something closer, when you become family. 

Purple and Gold for Amador

And the first football game comes in a flash. The excitement of playing for people, staring into the sea of purple and gold. Feeling a sense of pride. This is my place, this is my band, this is my school. And the chaos that follows, taking pictures, playing games, talking, and laughing. Playing the pep tunes on the track and being a part of something bigger than yourself, bigger than the band. Hanging out and having fun. Spending the time to form a community. 

Hail Dons, Hail

And band keeps going. It can be painful at times. It can feel like you’re splitting hairs. Play that note again and again. Do that drill set again and again. The call to reset, the call of one more time, again and again and again. Practice makes perfect and so we practice. We come back to band, even through the mess of life, chem tests going horribly wrong, dinners eaten in a hurry at 4:30 in the afternoon, through essays we failed and speeches we flunked, through friendship turbulence and family drama, we come back to band, again and again and again. 

Our school of honored fame

The nervous energy of a competition, everyone seems buzzing with excitement. Warmups that are familiar, every motion muscle memory, and still we buzz with energy. Walking to the football field, the light tap on your shako, and a whispered “good skill”. A reminder that, succeed or fail, we are in this together. Take a deep breath as we step out onto the field, let your training kick in. Perform the show, really perform it. Every note, every step, every movement, done with precision and excellence. This is what we’re here for. Cherish this moment, take in the applause. 

We salute you, we are proud

And the end comes all too fast. The years pass in a flash, from dewy-eyed freshmen, terrified and uncertain of what is happening, to stoic sophomores, still trying to figure out where they belong. From stressed juniors, starting to step up and see the band as a group to love. To veteran Seniors, taking their place at the head of the band, heartbroken to see it go by, holding on to these moments, these lasts, these times in the band. Looking back fondly on the good memories, bus rides and band parents. Inside jokes and laughs. Loving this band, sad to see it go, grateful to have belonged. 

For Amador is our name

And so we crowded in, shoulder to shoulder, soaking in the feeling of belonging. We stand here because of those who came before us. Their sacrifice to get the band to where it is today. And we keep playing, keep encouraging the band for those that have yet to come. For the freshman now and the freshmen we will never meet. We keep our little corner, our bubble, our tree of the band alive. Breathe this in, this is what band is. Claps echo through the night. Take a breath in the stillness, relish the count down. This is why we’re here. This is what we believe. This is Amador pride.