The Pride of Owasso shimmers their way through the 2023 competition season
By Reagan Rozzi
Photo of the Pride of Owasso taken by Hannah Grace Photography
We view them from our air-conditioned cars as we pass their practices in the grueling summer heat. We hear them from across the football field each Friday night as they fill the stadium with an upbeat song. We eagerly line the hallways as they pass our classrooms in hopes that we might get an up-close look at their performance. Their easily identifiable sound gives us the type of chill that can only be extracted from one of the best bands in the state. The Pride of Owasso has once again culminated their months of training to successfully complete another competition season.
This year’s show, “Shimmer,” had viewers in awe as the performers sparkled and shined across the stage, or in the marching band’s case, field. Vibrant rainbows integrated into each costume tremendously complimented the outstanding light work and prop variation, forming an eye-catching whirl of camaraderie and an echo of harmonic beauty.
Chris Harris, the Director of Bands for Owasso High School, shared, “It’s a simple idea about things that are shiny and reflect.”
However, the Pride of Owasso’s preparation schedule was anything but simple. The band directors had collectively decided on the idea back in January of 2022 but did not begin training for the showcase until late July of 2023. Consecutive hours of practice transitioned into months of rehearsal, each session being vital in pulling off only the most meticulous and visually stunning of productions.
In addition to the Owasso Band staff, ten external crew members aided in the pre-production for this year. Professional choreographers were even flown in and out of the state to craft the meticulous performance. Boot camp-style exercises and all-day rehearsals helped the students adapt to the season that lay ahead of them.
Senior clarinet player Frida Gonzalez discussed the mental and physical process of preparing for the season.
“This is the hardest show we’ve ever done since I’ve been in band,” Gonzalez expressed, “...[but] this year everyone wanted to be the best and get something out of the season.”
The Pride’s collective goal of having a successful season came to fruition as the group consistently ranked in the finals category of every competition; doing so is nearly impossible.
The Bands of America Regional, the most challenging of the contests, was set to be this year’s pinnacle. Taking place in Orlando, Florida, the students gave both judges and competitors a run for their money as they placed third among 29 other bands. Pure happiness radiated from the group as they relished in the rewards of their efforts. The students' spirits remained high as they spent the following day together at the Universal Studios Theme Park, effectively skyrocketing their morale to new heights.
“Watching the kids’ excitement… it’s kind of neat to see that competitive spirit amp up a little,” Harris smiled.
Union High School’s Renegade Review, another notable regional competition, gave the band a similar rating: second place out of their prestigious competitors. An Arkansas band held the first-place title, but as for the competing Oklahoman groups, the Pride of Owasso was the highest ranking.
“Getting second place felt so awesome,” freshman Daisy Leading Fox recalled. “That [competition] was the most memorable for me… because it was my first one.”
Although this year’s season has come to a close, preparation for next year has already begun. Initial meetings will take place in January 2024, but different ideas have been thrown around by the band directors for the upcoming season.
Outdoing “Shimmer” could be a challenge, but it will be one that the Pride of Owasso is sure to pull off.
The high energy, rankings and morale of the band’s 2023 season will easily be remembered as one of their most rewarding seasons to date. What began as laborious training under the late summer sun blossomed into an elegant display of shimmering pride. The feeling of post-performance bliss may be an uncommon one to most, but it is one that the Pride of Owasso knows all too well. After all, they are in the top bands of the state.