The Highlander Band will unveil its 2019-20 competitive marching show, "Play!" at the football season-opener at Rockwall's Wilkerson-Sanders Memorial Stadium and on home turf for HP fans during the Sept. 16 game versus Frisco Lone Star. This year's show evokes the innocence, imagination and pure, carefree joy of childhood, with crowd-favorite music selections, light-hearted choreography and a playground of props. Featured music includes "Pure Imagination" from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," "Children's March" from Australian composer Percy Grainger, a jazzed-up version of "Rainbow Connection" for the lovers and dreamers in the stands, and "Joy Ride", based on Beethoven's "Ode to Joy."
State competition for 5A marching bands only occurs every two years, and 2019 is one of those years. Preparation for this year's highly-competitive marching season began July 29 with two-a-day band camp practices combining musical rehearsals and marching. During the school year, the band continues to expand and refine the show with daily 6:45 a.m. rehearsals and weekly halftime performances, in preparation for a series of invitational and UIL marching competitions throughout the fall. Football and band fans will watch the show progress with every halftime performance, as the band adds new sets, props, and costumes in preparation for their first competition, the Mansfield Invitational Marching Competition, Saturday, Sept. 28. During the last state marching season in 2017, the Highlander Band placed tenth in the state after progressing through region and area competition to compete in the state finals for the first time in the band's history.
State competition for 5A marching bands only occurs every two years, and 2019 is one of those years. Preparation for this year's highly-competitive marching season began July 29 with two-a-day band camp practices combining musical rehearsals and marching. During the school year, the band continues to expand and refine the show with daily 6:45 a.m. rehearsals and weekly halftime performances, in preparation for a series of invitational and UIL marching competitions throughout the fall. Football and band fans will watch the show progress with every halftime performance, as the band adds new sets, props, and costumes in preparation for their first competition, the Mansfield Invitational Marching Competition, Saturday, Sept. 28. During the last state marching season in 2017, the Highlander Band placed tenth in the state after progressing through region and area competition to compete in the state finals for the first time in the band's history.
The Highlander Band demonstrated drill routines and performed selections from their 2019 - 2020 marching show Play! for band parents and friends of the band during a special sneak-peek performance Aug. 20 at Highlander Stadium.