Nakoma Madyun holds a prop while playing her instrument during an April practice.
Alexandra Whitbeck / Reporter
The Bands of Barnwell County includes (bottom row) Nick Jones, Madison Doughtie, Kamryn Cave, Nakoma Madyun, Seth Dorn; (second row) Ahmad Washington, Bailey Doughtie, Nevaeh Tisdale, Shanese Samuels, Hailee Stanley, Aiyanna Palmer, Baylee Adams; (top row) Cassie Land, Gabe Refugia, James Hiers, Landon Heckaman.
Contributed
Seventeen musically inclined students from across Barnwell County traveled to Dorman High School in Roebuck, S.C. on April 13 for the Carolina Winter Ensemble Association’s (CWEA) Percussion & Winds Championship.
This is the first year students have participated in the indoor marching band season events. This is also the first year students from Barnwell and Williston-Elko schools have joined together to play.
“Our goal this year was to be happy, be together, have a fun time, and they’ve done that,” said band director Dawn Vickery.
Vickery formerly directed Barnwell bands, and recently made the move to growing the program at Williston-Elko alongside director Jessica Pym, and re-establishing a band in Blackville-Hilda schools. Joining Vickery and Pym on the directing side is Jasmine Brown, a first-year band director at Barnwell High School who was once a student in the Scarlet Knights Marching Band under Vickery’s direction.
“We’ve just really enjoyed being together,” said Pym of working with Vickery, Brown and students from across Barnwell County.
To participate in the winter winds competition, Vickery and Pym came up with a routine filled with familiar favorites to create the show ‘Royal Tea.’ Students performed songs by Queen’s Freddie Mercury and Royals by Lorde.
“It’s a really fun show,” said Vickery. “It’s kind of a play on tea party and royalty.”
Three seniors are especially excited for the competition, as it is one of the last times they will be representing their school on a large stage.
Kamryn Cave is a senior at Barnwell High School (BHS) and has been part of the band program since sixth grade. In eighth grade, she joined the marching band where she plays baritone and does color guard.
“I like the way music makes me feel, I’m passionate about it,” said Cave, who plans to continue her musical talents at North Carolina’s High Point University while studying business marketing.
Shanese Samuels also attends BHS and is a senior. She played the piccolo during her junior year, but made the switch to flute.
“I wanted to try something different, and it was basically the same thing but higher,” said Samuels. “I was exposed to the flute as a young child because my uncle played it. So that is what inspired me to play the flute.”
Cave and Samuels are encouraged and energized to keep crafting their skills by the people they are surrounded by.
“I love the energy that we bring, every practice is always filled with enjoyment,” said Samuels.
Pym and Vickery noticed the group is seamless despite coming from different schools. The teachers can hardly tell which kids came from what school based on how quickly they all have become friends.
“The kids have been great… they just want a band!” said Vickery.
The students competed against both S.C. based bands and bands from North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and more.
Although final results weren’t what they hoped, students had an enjoyable time at the competition and participating in the other planned events for the trip.
Marching band students are now gearing up for the fall outdoor season.
