W-E band preparing for spooky theme

Williston-Elko School’s Blue Devils Marching Band is gearing up for a spooky season.

Since the last week in July, 21 students have been practicing drills in their vampire-themed set to unveil at both football games and competitions.

“Our students come to school for two weeks, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and they learn all of their music and marching for the 2022 competitive season,” said Jessica Pym, Williston-Elko Schools (WES) Band Director.

The Blue Devils Marching Band and the Blue Fire Drum Line have been practicing older classics like “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven and “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy as well as newer pieces such as “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark” by Fallout Boy and “Blinding Lights” by the Weeknd to fit in with their vampire theme.

“We’re really excited. It's just going to be creepy,” said Pym. “We're going to turn the field into a cemetery and we have a casket to roll out. It’s like a night-time, spooky show.”

Although this year’s Williston-Elko football games will have a supernatural element in the entertainment, it will be fun for all ages as always.

Like some of her students, Pym’s passion for music and marching band began at a young age. She knew after the first day in the band that this was the career she wanted to pursue.

“1997 was my first year of marching band as a freshman at Chapman High School, and it has been every fall since,” said Pym, who began playing clarinet, and switched to french horn in high school.

“I went home from school on my first day of band camp freshman year and told my mama that I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a band director,” she said.

Out of the 21 students in the band, five are playing their last season on the field as seniors.

Senior Aurora Helsley is the color guard captain and has been involved in marching band since her freshman year.

“I really like the environment. I love the people, they’re like family now,” said Helsley, who described this year’s camp as eventful and fun.

Helsley has been teaching new bandmates the drill for shows and answering any questions they may have. Williston students can join marching band starting in seventh grade starting out with a non-marching position, and then move to a marching-position in eighth grade.

“I have several seventh and eighth graders out here, and then everybody else is ninth grade and up,” said Pym, who encourages her students to ask one another questions and problem solve as a team.

This year, learning the drills has moved to an app. This allows each band member to see the details of each drill and where they are supposed to be during each step on their phone.

Pym explains this app is a learning process for both her and her students. She has been figuring it out alongside the Barnwell Warhorse’s Marching Band Director and friend, Dawn Vickery.

Trombone player Colby Baker has been a part of the marching band world since sixth grade. Baker spends most of his time playing for his home team, but also has been involved in Winthrop College and Newberry College bands.

“It's been fun and it's been a commitment,” said Baker.

Although he started out his band career wanting to play saxophone, he is thankful to have made the switch to trombone.

“Everybody loves me on the trombone, I’m one of the best players in the band, and I say that humbly,” said Baker, who often takes the opportunity to teach his younger band-mates.

“I like teaching the youngins the things I've learned from colleges and whatnot, so they can be better, and be better than me,” said Baker, who marches alongside his younger brother, Jonah Baker, who plays baritone.

Although this is his last season playing for WES, Baker is determined for his team to leave their mark at this year’s competitions.

“We made seventh in the state last year and our goal is to get better than seven,” said Baker. “We didn't have any seniors last year, and our seniors before that, we didn't place very well [at competition]. So, this is kind of for them, and why we want to play as well as we do because we're their legacy.”

Marching band competition season starts in September and goes until the last week in October with all day events on Saturdays.

These competitions are a way for marching bands to show off their drills and skills to a wider audience. This year, the WES Blue Devils Marching Band will be attending six competitions. Three are locally, two are in Aiken County, and one is in Colleton County. Lower-state and state finals are in Columbia.

“I like the camaraderie. I like the friendship. I like the competition. And the drive to be better today than we were yesterday,” said Pym.

Abigail Kennedy started her career in marching band at the age of five. Now as a high school senior, she is a saxophone player and woodwind captain on the Blue Devils team.

Kennedy comes from a musical family. Her brother was a member of the WES marching band and both of her parents were involved in band.

“All the way up to my senior year, this has basically been my life,” said Kennedy, who was born and raised in Williston. “Band has always been my family, most of the kids in here have been my family for years.”

Like Kennedy, Drum Major Jason Edwards comes from a musical family.

“All three of us, my brother, my sister, and me all went through the Williston marching band,” said Edwards.

“My sister was drum major before me in my seventh and eighth grade year,” said Edwards. “I saw that she loved it and that's really what made me want to do it.”

Familial ties were not his only reason for taking the role of drum major. Edwards was born with an indentation on his chest, and last June had a surgery to resolve it. Before this surgery, he played the sousaphone, a type of tuba with a wide bell that points forward above the player’s head.

“I have a metal bar in my chest and I couldn't march sousaphone like I usually do,” said Edwards. “I said, ‘I can't march in the show, but I still wanna be a part of it. I'll try out for drum major,’ I tried out, and I got it.”

Edwards has been serving as drum major for his junior and senior high school years, and enjoys the leadership aspect of the position, although it comes with its difficulties.

“Sometimes the leadership is really overwhelming because they expect so much of you. especially with my sister coming before me,” said Edwards. “In my first year, it was really hard because they expected me to be my sister and I'm obviously not my sister. I'm me.”

Even though the pressure of leading the march can be tolling, Edwards has found a family in marching band.

“I've met some of my best friends through marching band,” said Edwards.

The WES Blue Devils Marching Band not only plays during football games and at competitions, but they play for community events as well.

“We really like playing for community things. I think the community values us a lot both at football games and performances throughout the year, so it's always nice to be included,” said Pym. “Everybody loves to see the band and the drum line show up.”

Each dedicated member of the Blue Devils Marching Band is preparing to ring in a great season with each step they take and note they play.

To see the Blue Devils Marching Band take to the field, attend a WEHS football game this upcoming season.