The Sunnyslope Viking Pride Marching Band won awards for Best Music and Best Visual Effects on September 21st at the ABODA Prescott Invitational competition according to Band Director Steve Alguire.
The competition took place in Prescott High School, along with competing against several other marching bands. The marching band received a 60.263.
“This is the highest score at the beginning of the season that we’ve ever gotten,” Alguire said.
Marching band competitions embody creativity, hard work, and tests of skill.
The Viking Pride has been dedicated to striving for excellence in performance and precision.
“Working with the kids is so tiring but it’s so fun,” Alguire said. “The best thing about it is seeing the progression of what these kids can accomplish from the beginning of the season all the way to the end of the season.”
Some students have said this year’s marching season has slight differences compared to previous years.
“I think this year we were more unorganized than last year,” Junior Aries Seefeldt said. “This year it feels like things are more rushed but now that the competition has passed, we have more time to better prepare ourselves for success.”
Senior Angel Aguilar Morales said, “There are a few small details like having one drum major compared to my sophomore year when we had two, or the size of our band compared to sophomore year.”
However, the marching band continues to strive both musically and socially.
“Band has impacted me musically immensely. I started Beginning Band my freshman year, completely new, didn’t know how to play any sort of instrument,” Morales said.
“My ‘peak’ was junior year when I realized all the ‘good’ seniors had graduated and I needed to step up, my friends all encouraged me to be better and get to where I am now,” Morales said.
Competitions can sometimes take up the whole day, depending on the location of the comp, majority of the time, the band comes back home late.
“Competitions usually look like a bunch of bands performing, after we perform, we would go eat, then change into comfy clothes, watch other bands perform, then sleep on the way back to Sunnyslope,” Sophomore Eleczandra Saenz said.
The Viking Pride is looking forward to this month with two more competitions and eventually to state.
“I’m feeling good,” Alguire said. “Rehearsals are going well, we got the show on the field so now, we are polishing and just cleaning things up…and then making it to the top 8.”