Lord Botetourt Band builds Four Freedoms musical set for competitions
LBHS Marching Cavs and The Four Freedoms
Lord Botetourt’s marching band is building a dynamite show for the competition season. A glimpse has been seen at the first two football games. Franklin D. Roosevelt made a speech on the four freedoms on January 6, 1941 almost a year prior to the US entry into WWII. They are: Freedom of Speech, Freedom from Want, Freedom of Religion and Freedom From Fear.
The music is written by Lt. Dan Boothe in the compositions for percussion and the wind parts by Frank Sullivan. It is a patriotic rendition for a presidential election year and celebrating America. “No one else in the region is allowed to present the program in competition,” said Caldwell.
Each of the freedoms is recognized by a larger than life poster carried on to the field. The story is presented in a 9 minute musical extravaganza for half time and importantly for the band competition season. The band has practiced since July and went through a grueling week at band camp in August. Each week they have been working on specifics for one of the freedoms.
The Cavaliers will also host a band competition, The Cavalier Classic, on October 27th. “We are judged in the following areas said Caldwell, ” Timing, Musicality, Press Box, feet and marching.
“Our band will be seen in uniform for the first time on Sept. 15 at a competition at William Byrd High School, “ said Chris Caldwell band director for the Marching Cavs. There are 84 members in the band at Lord Botetourt. They went to band camp for a week and practiced a grueling schedule in heat and humidity to learn the first and second movements.
“This year we wanted the audience to be familiar with what we are doing. It is the 71st anniversary of the famous FDR speech,” concluded Caldwell.
September 6, 2012 - 6:00 PM
For the readers that are famaliar with the in’s and out’s of Band Competitions, most contests will evaluate the bands in the following areas:
Music
Marching
General Effect (How do all elements combine to create an atmosphere in the show?)
Colorguard
Percussion
Drum Major
Many times the adjudicators are located in the press box but in larger contests the adjudicators can be found on the field with band members and in the press box. Contests with judges both on the field and in the press box are evaluating each individual members performance and the ensembles performance as it relates to their category.
Thanks Cathy! The group is very proud of what they have accomplished so far.
It’s a great routine. Hope you do extremely well again this year!
Good Luck Chris, on your endeavor! Let’s hope those “fantastic LB fans” don’t decide to come out that day and exercise their first amendment right to heckle your participants!