Pork and Bands: Stage is set for band fund-raiser
If you like good food and good music, the Warren County Music Department invites you to attend Pork and Bands, the annual end-of-the-year fund-raiser for the band program.
This year’s Pork and Bands will be a perfect ending for an exciting year for the band program, said Warren County High School band director Rodney Parks.
Among the highlights, he said, was the patriotic program put on this season by the high school marching band. The show was planned and started before the events of Sept. 11, but afterward the show became very timely.
“It took on a whole new meaning after 9-11,” said Parks. “It certainly wasn’t something we were glad happened, but the show became very fitting and audiences appreciated it.” The marching band fared well in competition this year, winning a competition in Lebanon for the third straight year.
Another of the music department’s highlights was serving as host of a regional winterguard and drum line competition. Teams from high schools in five states descended upon WCHS for the event.
The high school winterguard team won first place at a competition at Hunter’s Lane High School and finished fourth in its class at the Southeast Regional Championships held recently in Chattanooga.
Also, two high school band students, Jesse Langston and Robert Thatch, made the Midstate band, a band comprised of the top high school musicians from across Middle Tennessee.
Parks said he is further pleased at finally having a band program in all five of the county’s outlying schools. Those attending Pork and Bands will have the opportunity to see these county band students perform with the middle school beginner and advanced bands.
Other groups performing during the event include the middle school and high school jazz bands, the high school concert band, the winter guard and several choral soloists and ensembles.
Pork and Bands, Parks said, is one of the music department’s most important fund-raisers, the profits of which are used to get the marching band going at the start of the next season. It is necessary to have money before the start of the school year, he said, because the football/marching season usually starts a couple of week before school begins.
In addition to funding the marching band’s operating costs, money from this year’s Pork and Bands will go to help finance new hats, or shakos, for the marching bands’ uniforms.
Pork and Bands, featuring BBQ from Smokey Joe’s, will be held at Warren County High School Saturday, April 20. Supper will begin at 4:30 p.m. and the musical entertainment will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are $8 for both supper and entertainment or $4 for just the entertainment. They can be purchased from any band student or by calling Parks at 668-5911. Tickets will also be available at the door.