Band's summer schedule set (06/21/06)

They’re at it again.

Although the start of the new school year is still nearly two months away, the Jay County High School Marching Patriots are already gearing up for what will be a busy summer preparing for the State Fair Band Day competition.

This year’s band day will be held on Wednesday, August 9 as a part of the 150th Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis.

The preliminary round starts at 10 a.m., and tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children. Finals will be at 8 p.m. that evening, and tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children. The tickets will go on sale at 6:30 p.m. on July 31 in the Jay County High School parking lot. The school only has a limited amount of tickets so people wishing to purchase tickets are encouraged to be at the school early.

Jay County’s theme this year is “Western Sketches.” The band will play a selection for their competitions from American composer Aaron Copland including the songs: “Billy the Kid,” “Rodeo” and “The Red Pony.”

The Marching Patriots are led this year by director Kelly Smeltzer, along with drum majors Lauren Whitesell, Allison Fullenkamp and Amber Kelly. This year the band is comprised of 192 members (154 instrumentalists, 35 guard and three drum majors) and nine adult assistants.

Local events that the band will be participating in this summer include the Portland Fourth of July parade on July 4, and a parade in Pennville July 15 as a part of the 42nd Pennville Legion–Lions fair.

In addition, the band will be competing in several contests before the State Fair competition which include: Centerville (July 20), Muncie South (July 21), Jay County (July 22), Delaware County Fair (July 28) and Winchester (July 29).

Full band practice starts June 26, and practices will be held for four hours almost every day throughout the summer, except Fridays, until the beginning of band camp as the band prepares for their summer competitions.

Band members will once again head to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio for camp this year from July 31 to August 4. The JCHS band has attended the camp for more than a decade.

“Basically we break the show down in terms of music and also drill visual, clean it, and make it as effective as we can. Then we bring it back and put the whole program together and present it for State Fair,” said Smeltzer, who is entering his second year as the head band director at Jay County. “It also gives the chance for the kids to really bond together and work as a group.”

The annual ice cream social will be held at 1:30 p.m. on August 6 at Jay County High School, and the band will perform at 3:30 p.m. that afternoon at the football stadium.

“It’s a neat activity,” said Smeltzer. “We want (summer band) to continue and be an enjoyable activity for our kids. We want to be as competitive as we can, and put our best product out there.”

The Patriots won the State Fair band day competition in 2001, finished second in 2002, finished third in 2003 and 2004, and last year placed fourth behind champion Anderson Highland.[[In-content Ad]]