Penns Valley Band prepares for fall season

SPRING MILLS — It’s the middle of August. School hasn’t started yet. Labor Day hasn’t come yet. Even Grange Fair hasn’t started yet. But, the members of the Penns Valley High School Band were already hard at work at the school preparing for their fall performances.

It’s band camp, an intensive program of eight-hour daily rehearsals that lasts for two weeks every August. The band is preparing its fall halftime show based on the hit Broadway musical “Wicked.”

The band consists of 64 members, including 13 majorettes and silks, and is led by band director Darris DeRemer and assistant director Corey Zatek. Senior Virginia Stattel is the drum major, and she will lead the band through its shows under the Friday night lights. Ryan Carty, a Penn State University graduate who was a member of the Blue Band drum line, is working with the percussion section of the band, and Kara Hammond, a Penn State majorette, is helping the majorettes with their performance. Silks instructor for the group is Diane Hoy.

DeRemer said the show consists of three songs, with band members moving in and out of 20 formations during each song.

“We’re in constant motion,” he said.

Band members use colored chalk to mark their positions on the pavement as an aid to learning the show’s formations.

Rehearsing and perfecting a show like this requires a great deal of concentration and dedication by band members, made difficult by the intense summer heat.

“Not many people want to be on hot pavement for eight hours,” said band member Amanda DeGarmo. Members are given frequent water breaks, and many seek the shade of some nearby trees for a few minutes, while others apply sunscreen.

Both DeRemer and Zatek praised the band members’ dedication and willingness to put aside other interests during band camp.

“I haven’t seen a cell phone out here all week,” said DeRemer.

DeRemer and Zatek noted that Penns Valley will host the Centre/Clearfield Marching Band Festival at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15. This event showcases about nine high school marching bands from the two counties, giving them the opportunity to perform for others and the public in a band-only event. Hosting duties rotate between counties each year, and this will be the first time for Penns Valley to host.