The Gig Harbor Band Festival is an event held yearly at Gig Harbor High School in which talented students from schools spanning the Peninsula district come together to perform a selection of ensembles that showcase their combined musical prowess. Both GHHS and Peninsula students combine their bands to perform; every district middle school combines their brightest to accompany the high schools; eighth graders chosen for their skill as upcoming musicians to make up the ‘honors band’.

The night begins with the hallways of Gig Harbor High buzzing with energy as students aged 14–18 eagerly prepare. The students have been practicing under the direction of Jim Rice, a member of the WMA Hall of Fame and Northwest Band Administration, renowned for his 40 years of instrumental teaching experience. The students were given a mere two days prior to the festival to master their pieces, and under the instruction of Mr. Rice, they were able to work magic in a short time. A cacophony of happy noises emits from the bleachers as friends and loved ones from all schools gather together, leaving no spots empty. The audience quiets as the students make their polished progression into the gym, all climatically dressed in sleek black attire. The high schoolers are seated to the side as the middle school band takes the stage. Rice stands as conductor, holds up his hand for attention, and then the show begins.

The middle school band sweeps seamlessly into the first ensemble of the night, ‘Falcon Fanfare’, a song that comes to life in a dream-like twinkling of percussion. Equal parts whimsical and grand, the students start the show with a piece that builds to a crack of lightning, golden and triumphant. Like a solar flare of noise, the music made the walls vibrate with its strength. The next song in the program, a song called ‘Into the Blue’, is delightful and far lighter than the previous piece. In the words of Rice, “[It] kind of takes you up into the air and lets you soar.” With the opening of heartfelt chimes and the build into sweet, swift noise, it takes no effort to picture a cloudless sky. The next song, ‘Drive!’ is a song that the composer, Greg Fhiaras, was inspired to write by his pleasant memories of a friend. Fhiaras’s friend was a truck driver and often took him on long rides in the country, smooth for part of the journey, and ending in the road commotion of the city. The song is made to express the excitement of arriving in a place full of noise and movement and the nervousness that comes with having to maneuver the bustle of city driving. The song has a particularly engaging storyline and was a fun contrast of whimsy and sharpness. Endlessly expressive, the piece was full of chaotic energy and playfulness, developing a sense of trepidation with the intense tonal shifts from ‘country’ to ‘city’.

Ending their performance with a flourish, the middle schoolers clear the stage for the high school band to take their seats with poise. The high schoolers set up their instruments with a sense of professionalism and familiarity, and watching from the audience, the eighth graders are able to glimpse the future in music that awaits them at their next step. The high school begins with the piece ‘Flourish for Wind Band’, a song that carries a sweeping and dignified sound. The ensemble is one of pride and grandeur, taking its time with such a kingly tone as if to profess that we are here to be witnesses to it alone. The origins of the number are rooted in a time prior to WWll that describes a period where the English feared for their lives as they dreaded attack. The English composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams, wrote it to be a song of encouragement and confidence during the tumultuous time, a song that Mr. Rice delightfully described as a piece that said, “Let’s hug each other.” The second song in the high schoolers’ tracklist is the piece “Jumpstart.” Written in memory of a 13-year-old boy, his school commissioned the number to be performed at his memorial. The intention of the ensemble is to capture the energy and verve for life that only a growing young person can exude. The number begins with the silver, textured tone of percussion fluttering through the gym. Departing abruptly from softness and joyful suspense, the song erupts into clashing enthusiasm, giving way to a lively and spirited atmosphere fit to get you out of bed. The song bursts with a childlike sense of adventure and fantasy, the brightness of the brass adding an action-hero excitement. The evening closed with the final ensemble, “By Loch and Mountain,” claimed by GHHS student Courtney Olson (12) to be her favorite piece. The song draws inspiration from an old poem depicting the life of a high-society woman who moves to the country with her husband. The song follows her feelings of discontent and the pull she experiences to return to a metropolitan life. The song begins quiet and solemn, infused with longing and melancholy. The music builds to a sense of grandeur and rebellion, always returning again to the serene, wistful solo that grounds the audience back in the feeling of loss.

The performance ends, met with thunderous applause from the audience and the bright smiles of students from every school. The evening echoes a reprise of the familiar hallway bustle—now with the preparation to go home after a well-performed show, relaxed laughter replacing nervous excitement. Goodman student and festival timpanist Henry Michael (8) reflects on the evening with pleasure, stating that of the pieces he played, his favorite was ‘Drive!’ “It’s just the best piece, in my opinion. I like how loud it is and the fast tempo.” The young percussionist looks forward to a future in high school band the following year where he can continue to learn and grow as a musician. As the students collect their things and greet families, they give consideration to their experience tonight. Ashley Carmen (10) laughs, taking pictures with her loved ones, and describes the experience of learning from Mr. Rice. “I did not know what to expect, because I figured, okay, he’s gonna get up there and he’s gonna conduct—no. He leads us through a series of breathing exercises and a series of warm-up exercises. The warm-ups alone took 45 minutes. He’s such an amazing conductor; it was a privilege.” The students aren’t the only ones who got something out of their two-day endeavor. The infamous Mr. Rice passionately reflected about what made this teaching experience special. “They are really receptive to extending themselves, to take on challenges, to be more expressive… I don’t think I’ve ever worked with a group of varying schools put together like this that were so willing to work with each other, and what they were able to create was exponentially better than they could do just by themselves. And I thought they did a wonderful job. Plus,” he adds with a mischievous smile. “They were super respectful of an old dude like me.” It is clear from Mr. Rice’s description that working with this group of students has been a unique and memorable experience in his long career.

The Band Festival will always be marked as a special day for musicians in Gig Harbor, and this particular Band Festival, with the combined talents of the whole district, is not a night to be forgotten. Joining the history pages of this beloved tradition, the students can feel pride that their collaboration and patience paid off to touch an audience of diverse schools. A band festival is an event that brings together groups of people who may not ordinarily interact. By combining their efforts to learn and support each other’s learning, each school builds bridges to the rest and strengthens the sense of community. It is safe to say that these young musicians are the best of the best.