Last Saturday, the Rock City Regiment hosted the 15th annual Shenandoah Valley Marching Invitational at Harrisonburg High School. Bands from across the region competed in six different categories. This marked the regiment's second year as a combination ensemble for the Harrisonburg and Rocktown high schools. WMRA's Kate Bean reports.
[Sound of The Rock City Regiment performing their exhibition “Time Warp”]
The sound of percussion, brass, and woodwinds fill the air as colorful flags soar through the sky. Families and spectators from all across the valley crowd the Harrisonburg football stands to watch the 15th annual Shenandoah Valley Marching Invitational. Twenty-six bands put on a showcase for a panel of judges. It was hosted by The Rock City Regiment — a combination band of Harrisonburg High School and Rocktown High School students. The Regiment was created as a bridge after the student body was split between the two schools, due to overcrowding.
The assistant band director at Rocktown High School, Elizabeth Bird said that of course the transition has come with many logistical challenges.
ELIZABETH BIRD: We constantly have to build in this extra time that a lot of other ensembles don’t have to. At least another like 30 minutes every single day, if not more, especially on competition days.
The ensemble has overcome those challenges with community support.
BIRD: Knowing that we have an amazing set of parents that will always be there to support us, to chaperone, be our pit crew … just really helps so much.
Community support builds up the program, but it’s the students’ passion that makes it thrive.
BIRD: To be together in the same place again and celebrate in that atmosphere, in the Harrisonburg community, was electric. Like the energy they had was something that we hadn’t seen before…Despite logistical challenges it will always be worth it if it brings joy to our students…They have just been so determined to make it as far as they can and they just feel really passionate about the work they’re doing and you can definitely feel it in our performance today.
As the host band, the ensemble does not receive scoring but performs an exhibition before the awards ceremony. The Rock City Regiment put on a nostalgia-packed performance called “Time Warp.” Despite the challenges, it’s evident The Rock City Regiment still marches to the beat of the same drum.
