North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
By John Smithson
This year’s members of the North Myrtle Beach Band of Chiefs began their annual readiness ritual a couple of Mondays ago. This week they finish their annual band camp after two weeks of hot and humid weather, playing and marching through whatever elements mother nature sent their way.
The band started early every day but still didn’t push it. They took breaks, worked under any shade they could find and took the usual preliminary steps necessary to get ready for a full year of music and competition. Band director Peter DiLeo sat in his office last Thursday, fully confident his students would be ready.
“Week two is almost over and we will have three more days of camp, but we will be working up until the start of school.”
It’s a new school year and the band is smaller than last year. “We will have 75 to 80 in the band so we are a bit smaller than last year but we had a massive graduating class in June, losing about 20 members. We have another big senior class this year. But we are really strong and the kids are sounding good. I am not worried at all. It’s going to be a great year,” DiLeo said.
Part of the reason DiLeo is so confident is the band’s work ethic. Last Wednesday, most of the marching band were out in the practice area behind the baseball field working on cues and steps and lineup. Drum major Kohlton Rosati was working with them. Shaq Page was directing the percussion members over near the wrestling building and Elia Smith was helping the color guard team. Keyboard players were working in the band room.
The Chiefs band also got to experience the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps while they were rehearsing and staying at the high school. The Crossmen took part in last Tuesday night’s Brass at the Beach show at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium. However, they called the school’s gym home while they prepared for that event.
The Band of Chiefs and Dileo will soon start working on their marching band performance for this school year, entitled Elemental. “We are working on the music and I am starting to write drill. I hope to work with the band this week since the weather is going to be less hot. The inspiration for the performance is the elements earth, wind, fire and water. We are going to explore some of the different things we can do with that. It’s a cool show and we are excited about it.”
“We will work on Elemental this week and probably have a taste of it at our first home football game. Our first band competition is at Carolina Forest on September 27. It will be a busy fall season,” DiLeo said.
