Band and Color Guard

Pocono Mountain has enjoyed a 15+ year run of the Tournament of Bands (TOB) Atlantic Coast Championships (ACC). One hundred and twenty-five bands from eleven states compete annually in the four championship divisions, or Groups as they’re referred to. Overall, the TOB represents approximately 450 schools, with 90 bands in Group II alone. The qualifying tournaments are the regional thirteen Chapter Championships. The marching bands travel great distances to ACC’s from all over the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states.

In the marching band world, Chapter Championships are the “play-offs” and the ACC’s is the Super Bowl.

At the Chapter 7 Championships, both PM East and West bands will try to qualify for the ACC tournament at Delaware State University in Dover, DE, on November 10-11, 2007. The 13 Chapter Champions and the 12 bands with the next highest scores go on to the ACC’s. For example, last year West was the Chapter 7 Champion and East was scored 10th highest of those bands that were not champions, and thus both bands went on to the ACC’s. Both East and West will be competing for their opportunity to compete at ACC’s.

Over the past 10 years, a band from Pocono Mountain has won their division (Group IV and Group II) 7 times, finished in 2nd place once, and in 4th place two times. Pocono Mountain has been a Chapter 7 Group Champion for 14 straight years - this clearly indicates that students from Pocono Mountain are consistently evaluated as performing at the highest of levels and have always represented the district very well. It has become a very important part of the students’ marching band experience, competing with hundreds of bands from all over the east coast and performing the “show of a lifetime” in front of thousands of enthusiastic marching band fans.

The 6th edition of the Pocono Mountain West High School Marching Band continues the long tradition of musical and marching excellence at Pocono Mountain. The Marching Band is a volunteer group of students in grades 8-12 that rehearse outside of the school day.

The 2007 competition show, entitled Bulls of Fury, explores different sides of the rich tradition of Latin music, beginning in Spain and traveling to Brazil and the Caribbean. Musical selections include compositions by Margarita and Ernesto Lecuona, Jonathan Searfoss, Estefano and John Higgins with arrangements by John Higgins, Jay Dawson, Robert W. Smith and John Tatgenhorst. Soloists include Joe Percoco, Josh Sherman and Alicia Montano on Trumpet; Christopher Peoples on Mellophone; Bianca Miranda and Katie Sadowski on Trombone; Kyle Niskala on Baritone; Garrick Moravek on Tenor Sax; Sarah Dennis and Pamela Lane on Clarinet; Nathaniel Partis on Alto Sax; Kylene Planer on Tuba; Zach Contopidis on Baritone Sax; and John Rodriguez on Drums. The band is under the field direction of Drum Major Michael Shelter.

The Pocono Mountain East Marching Band will be performing Entrapment: Selections from the Divine Comedy. East will open their show with a brisk rendition of Inferno. They will then move into the heavenly sounds of Paradiso with Victoria Laird on synthesizer; and Desiree Stewart on trombone will end the show with the opening of Ascension. The Pocono Mountain East Marching Band is led onto the field by drum major Denise Franczyk.

The East Marching Band is under the direction of Timothy Eick, assistant director is Jeffery Mark. Other staff includes Brian Marsh as guard instructor, assisted by Luz-Marie Gerena. Percussion instruction is by Ben McEntee and drill design is by Peter ReHill. Musical arrangements are by Timothy Eick.

This year’s Chapter 7 Championships will be hosted by the Pocono Mountain Panther Music Boosters, on Sunday, November 4, 2007, at Pocono Mountain District Stadium. Twelve bands from Northeast PA will be competing. The show begins at 4:00pm. Tickets are $8 for adults, and $6 for students (with valid student ID) and senior citizens (65+). For more information, visit their website at www.pmpmb.org.