North Fort Myers High band heading to Florida Marching Band Championship
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The North Fort Myers High School marching band is traveling to the World Equestrian Center in Ocala this weekend to participate in the Florida Marching Band Championships.
Sixty-eight high school bands will perform Saturday, Nov. 20, and Sunday, Nov. 21, at the championship, which first took place in 1998. The University of Florida Gator Band will also perform Sunday, Nov. 21.
North Fort Myers High School Band Director Sara Scalisi-Johnson said this is the sixth year they have attended the championship, as last year they were not able to attend because of COVID.
"This is the first year post-COVID, which is a pretty big deal considering the arts. Everyone suffered from COVID restrictions, especially last year," she said. "A lot of programs are reopening this year. Getting the kids back to shape, that has been a challenge for everybody, especially in the arts programs that took a hit with COVID."
The marching band season takes place from June until the end of November.
Scalisi-Johnson said the Red Knights are able to attend the championships, as they have done shows around the state throughout the year.
The band attended a competition at Lehigh Senior High School the first week of October, where it received Grand Champion. The ban d also attended the district marching assessment, which is put on by the state music association.
She said the association ranks the marching bands and gives them a grade associated with their music, marching ability and visual concepts.
"We were the only band in Lee County that got superior in all captions. That was really exciting and a great result for us," Scalisi-Johnson said.
Last week, she said they traveled across the state and competed at Jupiter High School and did really well.
"We are going to be heading to Ocala this weekend. That is our final moment of the season," Scalisi-Johnson said of competing on Sunday.
The marching band has practiced for this moment all season long, as the band practices every other day for four hours. They recently just practiced from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on a Saturday.
"Our kids are beyond dedicated. The kids who choose to be marching band are the most dedicated and diligent kids on the high school campus," she expressed of the 110-member band. "We write our own show. I write the show, music, the marching drill and that has helped have our kids buy into what our goals are, to put Lee County on the map when it comes to marching band. We want to be one of those bands, expose kids to high level music and engaging for the crowd. Teaching them how to play and keep them entertained and energetic about the show for six months."
The 8-minute show has continued to be perfected, so the band can earn one more point on the marching band field. Scalisi-Johnson said they will be scored on their musical elements; visual elements, which is marching, color guard and the visual ensemble that portrays the visual concept; as well as the general affect of how it is being performed to the audience and crowd’s reaction.
"It’s the overall package, who has the best overall show in every way," she explained of the musical theater outside on the field.
One other local school, Ida Baker High, qualified for the marching band championship competition, but is unable to attend