CHS Band prepares for halftime field shows
<span>Chester High School Band Director Steve Colonel held the Marching Yellow Jackets Band Camp August 3-5 in preparation for the upcoming CHS football season and corresponding halftime field shows.</span>
<span>The annual camp helps to introduce new, incoming freshmen band members to marching and performing at the high school level.</span>
<span>"We tried to do most of our marching on the practice field during the morning hours when it wasn't quite so hot," Colonel said. "In the afternoons, if it got terribly hot and humid, we moved to the band room to work on music performance."</span>
<span>The 2015 field show is titled "Super Halftime" and features pop music that may be heard on the radio daily.</span>
<span>The show consists of four songs - Beyonce's "Crazy in Love," "I Got a Feeling" by Black-Eyed Peas; "Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars and "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry.</span>
<span>The 2015 edition of the Marching Yellow Jackets includes 74 marching band members featuring 10 drums and percussion, 62 wind instruments and two drum majors.</span>
<span>The CHS Dance Team also accompanies the band.</span>
<span>Drum majors for 2015-2016 are seniors Allaynah Price and Brooke Wahl.</span>
<span>"This is the best band camp we have had in my years at CHS," Allaynah Price said. "We got all 18 sets or marching movements on the field in two days and the music seems to be coming together well."</span>
<span>"This year we have a really good, energetic group," Wahl said. "They are focused and spend rehearsals working and not fooling around.</span>
<span>"Everything is going smoothly and I anticipate a great show."</span>
<span>The Marching Yellow Jackets will debut their show at the first CHS football game of the season on August 28 when the Yellow Jackets host Fairfield.</span>
<span>The Marching Yellow Jackets should take the field at approximately 6:30 p.m. for pre-game festivities.</span>
<span>"I have high expectations this year," Colonel said. "The band is working together as a unit and there has not been any playing around. Everyone is paying attention and focusing on their roles in learning the show."</span>
<span>"I would also like to thank the staff at First Bank for bringing us ice pops for our afternoon breaks," Colonel added. "That was a really nice gesture and the kids really appreciated the cool, refreshing treats."</span>
<span>The marching Yellow Jackets will also perform at the other four Chester home games which include Sept. 11, Sept. 25, Oct. 2 (Homecoming) and Oct. 17.</span>
<span>The marching Yellow Jackets will also participate in the annual Popeye Picnic Parade on Sept. 12 and they will also march in the annual CHS Homecoming Parade.</span>