The Ooltewah High School marching band took home fourth place overall with their “Escape From Alcatraz”-themed show at the Bands of America regional band competition Oct. 23. From left are senior Philip DePrimo, French horn and mellophone; sophomore Brandon Goins, tuba; junior Michelle Brown, bass clarinet; senior Michelle Katz, clarinet; and senior Alex Ewton, baritone saxophone.
Photo by Hannah CampbellThe 94-piece Ooltewah High School marching band took fourth place overall at a Bands of America regional band competition, attended by schools from Florida, Maryland, North and South Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
The show’s muse was Clint Eastwood’s 1979 movie “Escape From Alcatraz” and featured portable jail cells, a percussion section dressed as prison guards and music from “The Rock” movie. Musicians dressed as inmates.
“Visually it’s very entertaining. Musically it’s really cool,” said band director Joel Denton, who chose to audition for the competition for its proximity to Washington, D.C.
“I was looking for a regional competition where I could tag on a trip,” he said.
In preliminaries, OHS took home first place in its AA division, the high achievement award for visual performance and the high achievement award for general effect.