Italy Gladiator Regiment Band gets a first division rating (again)

Kelly Lewis Posted October 23, 2010 1:30am Italy Gladiator Band

Image: Mr. Perez takes time to eat — The Gladiator Band Booster Club arranged for the band to have a good meal before the competition in Waco. — Mr. Perez takes time to eat — The Gladiator Band Booster Club arranged for the band to have a good meal before the competition in Waco. (Kelly Lewis)

After countless hours of practices and a dozen Friday night performances, the Italy Gladiator Regiment Band proudly marched into the UIL Regional competition at LaVega High School in Waco on Wednesday afternoon. Once again the band did Italy proud by getting a first division rating.

This is the band’s third first division rating in a row making the band eligible to compete for a sweepstakes award in the spring which would be their third in a row for that award as well.

The band is lead by drum majors Jessica Hernandez (senior) and Drenda Burk (junior). Seniors, Taz Martinez (trumpet), Melissa Smithey (cymbals), Kaitlyn Davidson (baritone), Marisela Perez (trumpet), Maria Luna (clarinet) and Nikki Brashear (flags) provide experience and leadership to this award winning group.

The bands “green” themed performance included The Lonely Man (theme song of The Incredible Hulk), Green Onions, Cuban Pete from The Mask and Twenty-One Guns by Green Day.

There were sixty Italy ISD students and a couple of parent “roadies” that ensured that the band’s performance went like clockwork. Mr. Perez stated, “I never know how these contests are going to turn out. All I’ve ever asked of the kids was to put forth their best effort in everything and these last three times, their best has been enough to earn the top rating. I’m so proud of them. They are a very special group of kids.”

Whats next for the Italy Gladiator Regiment Band? The band will now have the opportunity to compete on an individual basis. They will go to all-region in December, Central Texas Honor Band in January, and Solo & Ensemble in February and then the UIL Concert/Sight Reading contest in March.

As a result of this third first division rating in a row Mr. Perez is now eligible to become a member of TMAA (Texas Music Adjudicator’s Association) which in turn makes him eligible to judge marching contests.

Congratulations to band director Jesus Perez and his Italy Gladiator Regiment Band and good luck as they strive for their third straight sweepstakes award.

Go Gladiators!

Go Band!

Read the critique guidelines that the judges base their scores on.

Lunch at George’s — George’s Restaurant of Waco catered the meal with chicken fried steak and all the fixins. (Kelly Lewis)

CJ Enriquez is all smiles (Kelly Lewis)

The guys carefully made selections at the juke box…. (Kelly Lewis)

…while the girls did their thing on the dance floor (Kelly Lewis)

Roadies — Italy ISD School Board vice-president, Larry Eubank and parent, Doug Nelson helped with unloading the equipment. (Kelly Lewis)

Co-Drum Majors — Drenda and Jessica read one last “good luck” text from their pals at IHS. (Kelly Lewis)

Yonathan Davila carefully assembles his instrument (Kelly Lewis)

Uniform adjustment — Tristan Oldfield adjusts the buckle on his helmet. (Kelly Lewis)

Taz gets prepared (Kelly Lewis)

Bailey and Madison — Bailey Eubank and Madison Washington are totally relaxed before their performance. (Kelly Lewis)

Kelsey and Tara — Kelsey Nelson gives a grin while Tara Wallis looks on. (Kelly Lewis)

Trying to find some shade (Kelly Lewis)

Mr. Perez leads the pre-performance warm-ups (Kelly Lewis)

The Drum Majors signal “ready” (Kelly Lewis)

And so it begins… (Kelly Lewis)

The corner march — With her hips facing left and her shoulders facing front, Madison Washington performs a corner marching technique perfectly. (Kelly Lewis)

Precision (Kelly Lewis)

“The Pit” (Kelly Lewis)

Symmetry on the cymbals — Kaytlyn Bales and Melissa Smithey are in sync with each other and did so thru the entire performance. (Kelly Lewis)

Congratulations! — Eubank congratulates Mr. Perez with fellow School Board member, Tommy Morrison and School Board president, Cheryl Owen look on. Earlier in the day Mr. Perez mentioned how much he appreciated the support from the parents. He noted that this year marks a first year for such a large number of hometown spectators. It is estimated that there were approximately 20 Italians there. (Kelly Lewis)

Another “first” — Mr. Perez has brought so much to the school’s fine arts program and has made band a “cool” thing for Italy ISD. (Kelly Lewis)

! — Mrs. Margie Davis puts the finishing touches on a congratulatory banner. She beams, “I love the band!.”

(Kelly Lewis)

Seniors — Seniors pose with the trophy commemorating a milestone of their final year at Italy HS. (L-R) Marisela Perez, Jessica Hernandez, Kaitlyn Davidson, Taz Martinez, Melissa Smithey, Maria Luna (not pictured-Nikki Brashear) (Kelly Lewis)