Jay puts its own spin on theme

The fire and ice theme has been done.

The Marching Patriots have performed Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” twice in previous shows.

This year, they’re putting a new twist on both.

The Jay County High School Marching Patriots will look to heat up the track and cool down the competition as they take their “Of Fire and Ice” show, featuring “The Firebird,” to the Indiana State Fair Band Day competition Saturday.

“It's a pretty simple concept,” said JCHS band director Kelly Smeltzer.

That concept — a war between fire and ice, portrayed through music and motion.

The show opens with battle, ice and fire in conflict. Musically, the first third of the show features Giuseppe Verdi’s “Requiem” and Gustav Holst’s “Mars,” with early quarter-note by the brass setting the turbulent tone as the band hits its first big formation. Visually, the fighting is portrayed by the color guard — half have orange flags representing fire, the other half shimmering light blue flags representing ice — in addition to some body movement by the horn line.

In the second movement of the show, ice takes over. The ballad — Giacomo Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” from the opera “Turandot” — with the band “flexing” the tempo. Color guard members with blue flags span the track — frozen over — as the band forms into icy arcs.

“It really has that emotional sense to it,” said senior baritone player Seth Wilson. “It can really reach audiences.”

“I hope people take a step back and just absorb the whole thing,” said Smeltzer. “With the music and the guard, it’s just a real nice moment with the ice part.”

Ice then gives way to fire, which ultimately wins the battle, as the third movement of the show shifts to Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.” As the band reaches the end of the show it forms into wings and a full regiment of fiery flags melt the final ice flag in the end.

“I feel like with this show, you don’t really get an overall feeling until you hit that last note,” said senior color guard member Ralyn Chaffins.

“That could be an exciting, energetic moment at the end of the show, if done right,” said Smeltzer.

The music, marching and color guard movement are supplemented with props — rolling flames along the back of the track that rotate from orange fire on one side to blue ice on the other as the show progresses. (Devin Lykins constructed the pieces, which use Lazy Susan ball bearing tracks, with the Chaffins family painting the fire and ice details.)

And, as always, the Marching Patriots are holding back a final visual surprise for the judges at the state fair.

Though the theme is not new, the show itself has given judges a different view of fire and ice. Smeltzer said he’s heard positive comments about the musical selections — arranged by Alex Yoder (with Jon Bay writing the drill and Emilie Garringer handling the color guard) — that Jay County chose to blend together.

What will it take to bring all of the elements together into the best possible version of the show for a chance at the state fair title?

“Confidence,” several Marching Patriots said in unison, adding that the word was Smeltzer’s favorite during band camp last week at Taylor University.

“Commitment,” added senior baritone player Aaron Funkhouser. “You have to commit to the music. You have to commit to marching. You have to commit to guiding the body. You have to commit to so many things. … You have to commit to being there, and giving it your all.”

That all really does mean everything. Because while Jay County hopes the overall theme hits home with the audience, its director knows competitions like Indiana State Fair Band Day come down the areas that may go unnoticed by the untrained eyes and ears but won’t sneak past the judges.

“It’s going to come down to the details, for us,” he said. “It’s going to be the releases of phrases. It's going to be making sure we play to the ends of phrases with energy.

“It’s going to come down to clarity and the group that can emotionally perform the best.”