Tom Ganser
Correspondent
The Whitewater High School Marching Band captured 2nd place in the Class A division at the Third Annual Phantom Pfest marching band competition held at Mukwonago High School Sept. 22. The band also took a first in Music Performance and in Percussion.
The band’s program for this season is entitled “Abide the Wrath,” described as, “Mars, the bringer of war. No one and nothing can escape the grasp no matter how calming, peaceful or majestic. The Greek God Mars will find a way, and you must Abide the Wrath.”
The program is an atypically somber but powerful program for a marching band, blending three 20th century compositions.
First is an arrangement of “Nessun Dorma” (“No one sleeps”), a well-known tenor aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera “Turandot.”
The second piece is a composition for percussion ensemble by Chris Brooks.
To close out the program the band performs an arrangement of “Mars, the Bringer of War,” the first movement of Gustav Holst seven-movement orchestral suite, “The Planets.”
Members of the WHS marching band include the following students on wind instruments: Nathan Barrett, Mia Bentel, Steven Blija, Gillian Brandt, Robert Brandt III, John Bresser, Heather Ceranske, Gianna Creanza, Hiqmet Dauti, Haley Dieter, John Downs, Carlie Gard, Corey Gilpatrick, Perry Gilpatrick, Elizabeth Hall, Megan Hartwell, Jordan Heller, Caleb W Hintz, Bridgett Hoffmann, Hye-Hyun Kang, Abigail King, James King, Alexander Knedler, Madeline S Kuhl, Andrea Markham, Dakota Nufer, Anatoly E Parker, Samson J Shekey, Kristof Staniszewski, Yvanna Strait, Bashkim Veliu, David Verduzco, Benjamin Zaballos and Kit Zoesch.
Performing in the band’s percussion section are Jocelyn Crowe, Mitchell Lema, Roland Luckett, Thomas McManaway, Devin Samaranayake and Forrest Spear.
This season’s color guard includes Destine Fuchs, Lauren Hoffmann, Marren McCulloch, Gwenevere Smith and Emily VanAcker.
Drum majors for the band are John Bresser and Hye-Hyun Kang.
Staff members for the band include: Abigail Pulvermacher (Director), Tony Kading (Program Coordinator), Mark Davison (Visual Design and Instruction), Nicole Thoma (Color Guard Design and Instruction) and Andy Stone (Percussion Instruction).
