Bahamas All-Stars heading to the Battle of the Bands

Wed, Oct 26th 2011, 11:45 AM

Being able to relive Nick Cannon's band experience in the iconic 2002 film "Drumline" is going to become a reality for the members of the Bahamas All-Stars marching band. The 110-member group will make history on Tuesday, November 18 when they travel to Orlando, Florida to be in the 31st annual Florida Blue Classic Battle of the Bands as the first international band invited to do so.

This opportunity is an honor as many high schools in the United States vie for limited slots in the competition and only 10 are ever selected to participate. This year was an exceptional feat as the members of the Bahamas All-star band will have the unique opportunity to compete in this popular international competition.

It is an experience 16-year-old twelfth grader Sherecia Bain is looking forward to as she imagines the experience and exposure she will get from attending this historic event will all be well worth her time.

"I really am excited to be able to attend this competition because it will be a lot of fun. I think it will be kind of like the movie 'Drumline' but a lot more intense. This is going to be great," says the Government High School student.

"Being as this is our first  time competing at this competition I feel it will be more of a learning experience although I do hope we do well. But whether we win or not, it will be a great opportunity to see what else is out there," says the flutist.

Fellow twelfth grader Lester Johnson feels this event will be a great chance for the band members to really get a taste of the standards of international talent and expectations. This will be the second event the band has performed overseas, the first being at a half-time homecoming game at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. The trumpeter feels this is the perfect way to cap off his final year in school before he has to really get down to studying for the national exams.

"I remember attending the first event in Florida with the band last year and I was excited. This time around is no different but I think we are a lot more prepared and we can really make an impact at the competition," he says.

"This is also a great way to create camaraderie with other students from different schools and just have fun with friends in a positive way before we have to get down to studying. It will be a great time and I feel we really will shine at this event."

The Florida Blue Classic is an annual college football game between Bethune-Cookman University (BCU) and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (UFAM) which originated in 1978. This event started out as a great rivalry between the two institutes but now incorporates another level of competition--the battle of the college bands.

At first it was only between the institutes' respective music programs but grew to include a separate high school band competition element. To control who would be allowed to participate in the competition, the Classic only allows 10 bands from 50 to over 100 bands that apply to participate.

The band's music director, Yonell Justilien, says considering the Bahamas All-star Band was only established a year ago, their selection is a high honor and he hopes the students appreciate just how special this opportunity is.

"It was so wonderful the band was selected because the kids do work hard and they keep getting better and better," he says. "We applied to enter the event this year and used footage from previous performances including the Independence Day celebrations and our time at the Bethune-Cookman University's homecoming to really impress the board."

"I guess it did just that and I am confident the band will do well. We have something different and special that the United States bands do not have. We have a different culture, presentation and experience to share with them. It will be a great opportunity for the students to really express themselves and see what international competition is like."

Justilien says the band is really an amazing accomplishment he and a few other music directors thought was necessary for the country to have. It's members are currently between 14 and 17 years old and consist of high schoolers and graduates from almost every private and public school in New Providence. He says he is surprised how close knit these different students are and the sense of family and togetherness they have when it comes to their music.

Even so after years of dedication to programs like these many talented students do not pursue this field in the way they can. It is with this in mind that the music director also hopes this trip will promote a love and appreciation for the arts in the students. He wants them to be inspired to see how far they can go in their music endeavors by seeing the performance of two great college bands. Many parents are also accompanying their children on this trip and he hopes they will see that there is a future in performing arts and will encourage their children more.

"This is not just about the competition. It is about encouraging students to go out there and do their very best," says the Government High School music teacher.

"They will see where they can improve and where they need to be stronger with this kind of exposure."

"The all-star band also aims to provide support for students serious about pursuing music after high school and so far we have been able to send a few students away. We want to increase it as more and more of our students become qualified to go to places like Juilliard or to other universities on music scholarships. It will be a great opportunity to really boost the confidence of the students and give them necessary insights."

Stephanie Palmer, a 17-year-old clarinetist, says she will go into the competition with an open mind to what college bands are like so she can decide if this is something she wants to pursue upon graduation.

"It is great that we are going and I feel we will really beat a few if not all of the other bands. While I am there I do hope to see what college bands do first hand and maybe even look into doing this after graduation," says the twelfth grader.

"No matter what happens I think what we are about to do is history in the making. This is a great opportunity for us to show that although we are an island and you don't typically associate great bands with us, we are still impressive. So we definitely will be showing them what we are made of and I think this will be something I will not forget," says Palmer.

Band members are currently still raising funds for expenses for the trip and hopes by the time they are ready to leave more sponsors will come forth and the fundraising efforts pay off. To help support the band participate in this historic occasion you can contact band director, Yonell Justilien on 362-1551.

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