March to the beating drums at Love FM’s Band Fest

Band Fest 2013 rolls into the F.F.B. football field in Belmopan early this Saturday morning prior to the game featuring Team Belize versus Trinidad. Organizers say there are even more bands this year so competition is expected to be tougher. The tried and true will be taking on the new upstarts as they all bring on their A game. Duane Moody reports.

Julia Carillo, Coordinator, Belize Band Fest

“Band Fest 2013…It’s going to be hype; it is going to be the place that you’d want to be.”

Duane Moody, Reporting

It’s the eighth edition of the Belize Band Fest…thousands of spectators including teachers, children, families, musicians and choreographers will converge at the F.F.B. Stadium in Belmopan for the 2013 musical explosion. The event showcases students’ success and achievements in music. In addition to the number of participating bands up to fourteen, this year, the number of categories has also increased and so have the prizes. Coordinator, Julia Carillo, says that the competition will be fierce.

Julia Carrillo

Julia Carillo

“We have the marching band with wind element category; we have the drum corps category; we have the best uniformed marching band and that will be judged at seven o’clock as opposed to eight o’clock. We have the most popular marching band and the voting for that ends tonight at midnight—and that is open to Digicell subscribers only; we have the best choreograph marching band which is a new category sponsored by Oceana. We also have a drum-line.  The prizes for the categories; the marching band with wind instrument category is six thousand dollar cash with trophy and the medals for each individual member—this if for first prize. Second prize is two thousand five hundred dollars cash, the trophies and each band member gets their medals. And the third prize this year is a thousand dollars cash the trophies and the medals. Now the drum corps category first prize is four thousand dollars cash; they got their trophies and then their medals of course. Second prize is two thousand dollars cash and the trophy and the medals and then third prize is the trophy and each individual band member gets their medals. And apart from that, the best uniformed marching band is a thousand dollars cash along with the trophy. The drum-line competition is a thousand dollars cash with trophy. The most popular marching band is a thousand dollars cash with trophy. And the best choreographed band is two thousand dollars cash courtesy of Oceana. Overall, it is over twenty thousand dollars cash in cash prize alone; not talking about the trophies and the medals. So we are doing a big investment where band fest is concerned.”

St. Luke’s Methodist Marching Band has been competing since 2006; they won the first ever Band Fest Competition and have for seven years taken the title in the drum-line category. According to the coordinator and vice-principal of the school, Caroline Welch, Punta, samba and other genres of music will be incorporated in their repertoire to seal the title once again.

Caroline Welch, Vice Principal, St. Luke’s Methodist

“We are more than ready; we are ready to bring it on.”

Duane Moody

“St. Luke’s has been participating since the onset; tell us about that.”

Caroline Welch

Caroline Welch

“When Love FM first came out with the Band Fest it was in 2005 and we took it on. We were the ones who took the first place. Since then, we’ve been taking first place in drum-line competition except for last year and we hope to go back again stronger this year and fight for that title again.”

Duane Moody

“Tell us about the preparations that you guys have put in for this coming Saturday.”

Caroline Welch

“Well from the beginning of the school year, we have been doing fund raising here and there; we have been working with the students. It has been very hard working, getting prepared, for this year’s Band Fest. But hard work pays off and we hope to prove it tomorrow.”

Duane Moody

“What’s the strategy that you guys are taking into the competition tomorrow?”

Caroline Welch

“Teamwork! Teamwork and that sense of togetherness; everyone speaks to the other person with their instrument, with their movements.”

The competition was created in collaboration with the Governor General’s Music in Schools Program formed in 2002 and is geared towards the development of the musical talent in the Belizean youth.

Julia Carillo

“Come expecting to enjoy yourself; come prepared to be amazed at what our young people are doing. We always think about young people in negative lights—these young people have been practicing; they are disciplined. They are bringing a lot of positive energy so come prepared to have a lot of fun and to celebrate with whoever wins.”

Caroline Welch

“We have pumped a lot of finances in getting prepared for the Best Dress; we want to do the drum-line; we want to take hold of the field performance; we want to bring it all.”

It’s going to be a fun-filled family event with local and international entertainment.

Julia Carillo

“We have the Jessie White Tumblers that will be competing. They are coming prepared to do a show. Secretary of State, Jessie White himself, committed to give Belizeans an awesome show. We have the band from Honduras, the San Isidro Bilingual Marching Band who are excited and willing to perform. It is just going to be a lot of fun. The bands are all prepared; they are set and ready to go. We are ready to put on quite a show for Belizeans tomorrow.”

The parade starts at the Sir George Brown Field on to the Ring Road past the Governor General’s Field where the parade judging will occur. It then heads left turn on to Constitution Drive, right into Forest Drive, another right on to the highway and will end at the F.F.B. Stadium. Duane Moody for News Five.

The Band Fest takes place amid controversy over the use of the F.F.B. stadium since the international match with Trinidad had been programmed for the MCC grounds and not the stadium; But it has all been worked and both events will be held now at the FIFA certified stadium.