Carolina Forest High School Band

The Carolina Forest High School Band program is part of the fine arts department at Carolina Forest High School in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It consists mainly of two concert bands, one marching band, but has also operated several ancillary ensembles (sometimes non-consecutively) over the years, including jazz band, indoor drumline/guard, boys varsity basketball pep band, etc.

Directors/Assistant Directors

1997-1998: Dawn Smith, Director; Stephanie Harris, Asst. Director
1998-2000: Dawn Smith, Director; Josh Rudolph, Asst. Director
2000-2001: Josh Rudolph, Director; Charlie Allen, Asst. Director
2001-2003: Josh Rudolph, Director; Mike Knight, Asst. Director
2003-2006: Josh Rudolph, Director; Lanie Radecke (formerly Adams), Asst. Director
2006-Present: Dr. Chad Horsley, Director; Kevin Martel, Asst. Director

History

Carolina Forest High School opened in the fall of 1997. During the first year of the school's operation, there were less than 20 students in the high school band, as the high school had not yet completed construction and could only accommodate grades 9 and 10.

Fall 1998-Spring 1999: In the fall of 1998, CFHS fielded its first varsity football team - and its first marching band. That band consisted of students from grades 8, 9, 10, and 11 (as at that time, CFHS and Carolina Forest Middle School co-existed on opposite sides of the same campus). The marching band's first ever halftime program consisted of music by Earth, Wind, and Fire, including "September", "Fantasy", and "In The Stone". There were approximately 50 members in the first-ever marching band. The concert band performed well at the spring concert festival, receiving a Superior.

Fall 1999-Spring 2000: the CFHS marching band in its second year grew to approx. 70 members. The halftime program was "Phantom of the Opera," consisting of the "Phantom" theme, "Masquerede," "All I Ask of You," and the "Phantom" theme reprise. The concert band again performed well at concert festival, receiving another Superior rating.

Fall 2000-Spring 2001: after a change of directors, the CFHS marching band grew to approximately 110 members (including nearly 30 flute players). The halftime program was music from "West Side Story," including "Maria," "Cool," "Mambo," and "Tonight, Tonight." In the spring, the band continued its exceptional run of Superior ratings at concert festival.

Fall 2001-Spring 2002: the first year that a decrease in members ever occurred, the CFHS marching band's numbers declined to approx. 75 members. The halftime program was "The Wild West," featuring the themes from "The Magnificent Seven", "Rawhide", "Shenendoah", "Bonanza", and "The Cowboys", as well as a movement called "Hoedown" which included some melody of the traditional "Turkey in the Straw." The band won its first ever Grand Championship during this season at the Tabor City competition, affectionately referred to by band members as the "Yam Jam" due to the competition's coinciding with the Tabor City (North Carolina) Yam Festival. The concert band again scored a Superior at concert festival in the Spring.

Fall 2002-Spring 2003: the marching band's numbers grew again, reaching approx. 90 members. The halftime program was selections from a "Cirque du Soleil" production, which included a percussive movement where no wind instruments were played (each band member played a percussion instrument). The band again won the grand championship at the "Yam Jam." The concert band also continued its run of Superior ratings at the spring concert festival. Also, after the conclusion of the 2002-2003 school year, the CFHS marching band represented the entire state of South Carolina in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. [http://www.scgovernor.com/NR/rdonlyres/B2E55C96-1648-4174-8B72-D9D61101BCDB/0/CarolinaForestHighSchoolMarchingBandMonth_903.pdf]

Fall 2003-Spring 2004: the marching band's fall program was musical selections from the movie "Gettysburg."

Fall 2004-Spring 2005: the marching band performed its first-ever show with original music, entitled "Tides: Emotions of the Sea." The band also traveled to its first-ever Bands of America (BOA) Regional in Atlanta, Georgia at the Georgia Dome.

Fall 2005-Spring 2006: The marching band's fall production was entitled "Children Will", with four musical selections: "Children Will Play", "Children will Love", "Children will Learn", and "Children Will Listen". This season had a large amount of members, reaching over 100.

Fall 2006-Spring 2007: the third Director of Bands at CFHS, Chad Horsley, began his tenure at CFHS. The marching band's fall selection was entitled "Carpe Diem", with music from the movie Newsies. The movements were "Seize the Day/Carry the Banner", "King of New York", "Santa Fe", and "The World Will Know". This season saw a decrease in members, largely attributed to the amount of seniors that graduated the year before. The band also again traveled to Washington, D.C. to appear in the National Independence Day Parade.

Fall 2007-Spring 2008: The marching band performed its fall selection, "In the Light of The Sun", with four movements, "Sunrise", "High Noon", "Afternoon", and "Sunset". During this season, the band travels to the Lower States competition and competed in 4A, but was one place shy of making finals. This season saw another decrease in members, with there being 70 members in the band.

Fall 2008-Spring 2009: The marching band is performing its current fall selection, "The Incredibles", based on the hit Pixar film, with three movements, "Part 1", "Part 2", and "Part 3". This season has an increase in members since the last, with there being a total of 86 members in the band, most of them being freshmen and middle schoolers.

CFHS Band Booster Club

The CFHS Band Booster Club is a parent-run organization that supports the CFHS Band Program through fundraising, event operation, chaperoning, etc.

Student-run ensembles

The first CFHS Boys Varsity Basketball Pep Band began in the spring of 2003 under the direction of former drum major Shakira Brockington. The next year, CFHS graduate and former brass captain Randy Akers (class of 2003) returned to direct the ensemble. The selections for the ensemble were composed of both professional and student arrangements, several of which were written by trombonist Alexander Galloway.

References

External links

* [http://www3.hcs.k12.sc.us/High/CFH/finearts/band Official site]