Pride of Cove band beats the heat during summer sessions

By DAVID MORRIS

Cove Leader-Press

The Pride of Cove Band has their eyes and ears focused on New York for their 24-25 contest performance.   Pounding the asphalt of Copperas Cove High School, more than 200 members braved the heat advisory to prepare for their contests that begin August 14 in Dripping Springs.

“We’re looking at is we’re a tiny town looking at big city dreams,” Band Director Lawrence Varela-Halbert said. “More importantly, our kids have never really had an opportunity to experience that and there’s some fantastic sights and sounds and music to select from New 

York City that kids really like, and our audience is really going to enjoy because it covers all eras of music and dance.”

Featuring songs from Frank Sinatra, Billy Joe and Alicia Keys, Varela-Halbert has the goal of adding more hardware to the illustrious band’s trophy case.  

“The goal is to win some trophies, but most importantly, have fun,” he said. “The kids are bought in. They are not chasing these trophies of course the directors, but the kids they’re here to just have fun.”

Copperas Cove High School Senior Eunsong Lozano who plays the mellophone enters his fourth year for contests and credits the band for his passion and goal of joining the drum corps international.

“We’re here to be a band being a marching band and get to know other people and just having fun just having fun, but also knowing when to be serious and to really get things done,” he said about his experiences with the Pride of Cove Band.

Jana Moris, a freshman clarinet player, is experiencing her first session of summer band during one of the hottest weeks on record for Copperas Cove.  Temperatures neared the century mark many times throughout the week.

“Once we started going to the like, the marching shows and stuff like that. It was easy to just like, not think about the heat because the band was so fun,” she said. “The band directors are really good about making sure we have water and making sure we have breaks and when we have break staying out of the sun and just taking care of ourselves really well.”

Drum Majors Ashlyn Riley, senior, and juniors Keegan Sullivan, Ke’Lel Viltz will be keeping the band in step during the halftime shows that begin with the Dawg’s Friday night contest with Ellison at Bulldawg Stadium, August 30 at 7:30 p.m. 

“I’m just excited for the competition’s,” Lohtz said. “Everybody’s been working very hard these past couple of weeks is very hot, but they still have been pushing through and I’m just so excited to see what will be done with competitions.”

Competition schedule for the Pride of Cove band includes: September 14 with a Percussion Contest in Dripping Springs. On Sept. 28 they will be in the Cap City - Austin Marching Competition. Oct. 5 the band travels to San Antonio for the US Bands.  October 19 they can be seen in Midway for the annual UIL Marching Contest with the goal of making the Nov. 2 UIL Area Marching Contest.