WCHS Band headed to state

by Matt Hughes

J-E News Editor

As you drive past Webster County High School on US 41A in the afternoons, you’ll see the marching band practicing in a corner of the parking lot. In that split second it takes to pass by them, all you really have time to notice is their size. 

The Webster County Band of Pride has 30 students on it’s roster, and that includes winds, percussion and color guard. In the 90’s Providence High School marched around 40 winds and percussion, with another 5-10 on the color guard. WCHS bands back then were much larger than that. 

It’s easy to pass judgement at that point, but that judgement might just be wrong.

When Nathan Clark arrived at Webster County High School in August of 2012, the band director was inheriting a band that was a shell of what it had once been.

“We had 17 kids on the roster,” Clark said. “But we recruited and brought a few kids up from the middle school bands.”

By the end of 2012 the Webster County Band of Pride had 28 on their official Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) roster. They won “Best in Class” and “Best Color Guard” at a competition in Henderson County, and then went on to the AA West Quarterfinals, missing out on advancing to the semi-finals by one position.

The band looked to improve on that when they returned for the 2013-2014 season, expecting to start the year with 37. Once again the band was hit by losses as some students moved and others lost interest in marching band, cutting that number down to 30.

“We’ve put in over 180 hours of rehearsal, this year” Clark said. “Now we’ve begun to see results.”

On Saturday, October 19, 2013, Webster County competed in the KMEA West Quarterfinals held in Greenville, KY. They finished eighth out of eleven bands (.75 points behind seventh place), good enough to earn them a spot at state.

The KMEA State Marching Band AA Semi Finals are Saturday October 26, 2013, at Christian Academy in Louisville, KY. Webster County drew an early spot, and is scheduled to take the field at 11:15 a.m.

The theme for this year’s performance is “Rituals”. Clark said the show is the story of a group of explorers who encounter a group of natives.

“But its easier to understand when you see the performance,” he added, urging everyone from Webster County to come out and support the band on Saturday.

“It’s been a big year and a half for everyone involved,” Clark said. “I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of everyone; the band, the staff and the parents.”

The band will perform at the Sebree Veterans Parade on November 15, and the Providence Christmas Parade on December 14.

In August of 2014, when the Webster County Middle School opens, Clark expects things to really start turning around for the band.

“Our real growth will be when we can start recruiting for one middle school band class instead of four,” he said.