Trio of bands fills Decatur gym with beautiful music

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS
Senior Victor Gonzalez watches Jesse Owens for directions as he performs a trumpet trio with Deegan Brooks and Anderson Almengor (off camera) during the final senior high band piece during the May 11 Bulldog Band Spring Concert at Peterson Gym in Decatur.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Senior Victor Gonzalez watches Jesse Owens for directions as he performs a trumpet trio with Deegan Brooks and Anderson Almengor (off camera) during the final senior high band piece during the May 11 Bulldog Band Spring Concert at Peterson Gym in Decatur.

DECATUR -- The night was filled with the sweet sounds of clarinets, trumpets and timpani on May 11 as three bands converged on Peterson Gym in Decatur for the 2021 Bulldog Band spring concert.

Maestro Jesse Owens directed the 14-piece beginning band which was made up of mostly first-year music students from the sixth grade. The young musicians performed seven simple pieces by such well-known composers as Dvorak, Grieg, Beethoven and Bach, and a classical favorite "Can-Can" from Jacques Offenbach.

The heart of the band consists of instruments from several sections of the musical ensemble which, in the Decatur bands, consist of the woodwind, brass and percussion sections. The woodwind section is made up of reed instruments such as the oboe, bassoon, clarinet, saxophone, and one of the smallest of the band instruments, the flute (only the piccolo is smaller). Although the flute uses no reeds, it is still classified as a woodwind.

The brass section is made up of the trumpet, trombone, French horn, euphonium and tuba.

And last but not least is the percussion section. This part of the band is made up of a large variety of instruments, with the snare drum, bass drum, cymbals and timpani comprising the main rhythm driving instruments. Other percussion instruments used in the Bulldog Band Spring Concert included wind chimes, xylophone, drum trap set, wood blocks and triangle.

Each band was comprised of one or two musicians on each instrument.

Next up was the 16-member middle school band which is comprised of seventh- and eighth-grade music students. The middle school band performed three more difficult pieces, "Canticum" by James Curnow, "Blue" by Robert Smith, and the ever-popular John Phillip Sousa band number, "Washington Post March."

The middle school performance was stellar in every way, but the best one was the Sousa march.

The 18-member high school band joined forces with the middle school to perform the John Wasson piece, "Firefly." The Wasson band number was one that the middle school has worked on since November and, with the addition of the more experienced musicians, was in itself one of the most beautifully performed numbers for the combined bands.

And, finally, the high school band had its chance to shine with three beautiful masterpieces, including "Mountain of the Sun," "An Echo of the Infinite," "Argentum," and a variation on the popular hymn, "Amazing Grace."

Just before the final selection of the night, Owens introduced his senior members who played their final concert as high school students. For all, the road to music began when Owens first arrived in Decatur. All the senior members were seventh-graders when Owens took the high school music director's position six years ago. They included Dora Hernandez-flute, Carlos Perez-saxophone, Emmanuel Thao-percussion, Victor Gonzalez-trumpet, and Damian Merworth-tuba.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS
Alexis Garcia performs a beautiful clarinet solo during the opening of one of the middle school's pieces which was part of the Bulldog Band Spring Concert at Peterson Gym in Decatur May 11.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Alexis Garcia performs a beautiful clarinet solo during the opening of one of the middle school's pieces which was part of the Bulldog Band Spring Concert at Peterson Gym in Decatur May 11.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS
Anthony Hernandez uses a cross sticking technique to play his timpani part during the high school band section of the 2021 Bulldog Band Spring Concert at Peterson Gym in Decatur May 11. This technique requires the percussionist to have his wrist up or down while playing instead of the normal side-to-side method of holding the sticks.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Anthony Hernandez uses a cross sticking technique to play his timpani part during the high school band section of the 2021 Bulldog Band Spring Concert at Peterson Gym in Decatur May 11. This technique requires the percussionist to have his wrist up or down while playing instead of the normal side-to-side method of holding the sticks.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS
Cam'Ron Vang adds his rich trombone tones to one of the high school band pieces during the May 11 Bulldog Band Spring Concert at Peterson Gym in Decatur.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Cam'Ron Vang adds his rich trombone tones to one of the high school band pieces during the May 11 Bulldog Band Spring Concert at Peterson Gym in Decatur.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS
Emilio Smith-Gomez watches directions from Jesse Owens (off camera) as he plays his the tuba part during the middle school band portion of the Bulldog Band Spring Concert May 11 at Peterson Gym in Decatur.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Emilio Smith-Gomez watches directions from Jesse Owens (off camera) as he plays his the tuba part during the middle school band portion of the Bulldog Band Spring Concert May 11 at Peterson Gym in Decatur.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS
The woodwind section of the high school band provides a beautiful balance of tones as the group combines with the brass and percussion sections to complete a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace during the Bulldog Band Spring Concert in Decatur May 11. This section includes Martha Smith Gomez (left) on Clarinet, Dora Hernandez on Flute, Jose Suarez (second row left)  nd Jose Uribe both on Saxophone.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS The woodwind section of the high school band provides a beautiful balance of tones as the group combines with the brass and percussion sections to complete a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace during the Bulldog Band Spring Concert in Decatur May 11. This section includes Martha Smith Gomez (left) on Clarinet, Dora Hernandez on Flute, Jose Suarez (second row left) nd Jose Uribe both on Saxophone.