Marching Band

As the sky turned various shades of evening orange, the members of Liberty High School's marching band stood in a half-circle on a side parking lot off Bartholow Road in Eldersburg, warming up. The group, which consists of nearly 30 musicians, a color guard and drum major, was consumed with preparation for the 25th Annual Marching Band Extravaganza they were scheduled to host and perform in yesterday. But a conflict over the bands' rehearsals -- and specifically, the high sound level of their Tuesday and Thursday practices from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. -- has cast a shadow over their usual routine.

River Hill High School's marching band earned the title of national champion in Group III at the second annual U.S. Scholastic Band Association National Championships on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium. Competing with 14 other bands based on school size, the Clarksville school finished with a score of 95.55 (out of 100). It also won awards for best visual performance and best music performance. River Hill placed second in best overall effect, third in best color guard and fifth in best percussion.

THERE'S NOTHING like the sound of a marching band to lift one's spirits on a cool autumn night.Starting at 6 p.m. Oct. 2, you can hear the Francis Scott Key High School marching band and nine others march to rousing tunes as they compete at the athletic field at Francis Scott Key High School. Tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for students.Francis Scott Key's instrumental music boosters -- parents who support the band by raising money and sponsoring events such as the festival -- are enthusiastic about the competition.

IF PRACTICE MAKES perfect, the 75 musicians and 21 guard members of the Liberty High School marching band should be almost there.Under the watchful eye of band director Bryan Eber, the students have spent many hours this month perfecting their sound, as well as the precise marching steps that will take them through the competition season.Drum major Robyn McCormick, a senior, will lead the band as it performs music from Antonin Dvorak's Ninth Symphony, "From the New World." The orchestral style is a departure from the more symphonic band literature traditionally used by the band.

Throughout her life, Lucy Haw loved the Colts. And tomorrow, when she's laid to rest, the Colts Marching Band fight song will be playing."I think she'd really like that," said her son John Haw, of Cary, N.C. The family hopes to have the song, the rallying cry for Colts fans for decades, played at the graveside service by members of the Baltimore Ravens Marching Band.Mrs. Haw, whose prized possession was a signed copy of Johnny Unitas' autobiography "Pro Quarterback," died of a brain tumor Friday at Ridgeway Manor Nursing Home in Catonsville.

FOUR eighth-graders stood on a hill overlooking the Centennial High School football field Tuesday, watching band practice. Next year, the Dunloggin Middle School pupils could be marching in the band.But Tuesday, they were waiting to practice with kids who were already in high school.The four boys were among 33 middle-schoolers who had accepted an invitation from Centennial band director Max VanDerBeek to perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" with the Centennial band at Saturday's football game.

"POMP AND Circumstance" was heard Sunday as Liberty High School's 1998 graduates participated in their commencement exercises at Western Maryland College.Robert Bastress, former Liberty High principal, delivered the keynote address.Five students were honored as valedictorians. Noelle R. Chandler, Sonia Liu, Andrea E. Podobnik, Traci Prouser and Kimberly Anne Ramult finished their high school careers with perfect academic records -- a 4.0 grade point average -- and found time to participate in activities.

It wasn't the national anthem, but it whipped people to their feet in shouts of patriotism -- Baltimore style -- yesterday at Towson's annual Fourth of July parade.The song was "Let's Go, You Baltimore Colts." And it was performed by the Baltimore Colts Marching Band in its last round of parade appearances in Towson, Dundalk and Catonsville before changing from blue to Ravens purple in a few weeks."This was my last time to yell, 'Fight, fight, fight,' " said Roseann Maher Curran of Cockeysville, who fairly shouted the fight song as the Colts band wound through the center of Towson.

STUDENTS, TEACHERS and parents will be "Putting the Park" back into Severna Park High School from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.Led by math teacher Kathy Kubic, a co-sponsor of the Class of 1998, the recent graduates have donated $2,500 to help spruce up the school's exterior.The money is earmarked for new landscaping at the high school's three primary points of entry: the main entrance, the band entrance and the athletic entrance.You might have noticed new plants near the front entrance, but the real effort happens Saturday when the high school becomes "landscaping central."

It wasn't the national anthem, but it whipped people to their feet in shouts of patriotism -- Baltimore style -- yesterday at Towson's annual Fourth of July parade.The song was "Let's Go, You Baltimore Colts." And it was performed by the Baltimore Colts Marching Band in its last round of parade appearances in Towson, Dundalk and Catonsville before changing from blue to Ravens purple in a few weeks."This was my last time to yell, 'Fight, fight, fight,' " said Roseann Maher Curran of Cockeysville, who fairly shouted the fight song as the Colts band wound through the center of Towson.

"The Band That Wouldn't Die," Barry Levinson's documentary on his native city's astonishingly resilient Colts-cum- Ravens marching band, will get its U.S. premiere Oct. 6 at M&T Bank Stadium. "We were very touched and honored that world-famous producer and director Barry Levinson would produce something like this about the Marching Ravens," said band president John Ziemann. "It not only represents Baltimore and Maryland, but it represents every person who is a professional football fan in this city and state."

Do you have the recession blues? Try going green for the weekend. St. Patrick's Day green. A host of local venues and groups are holding events from parades to races to other forms of merrymaking. The biggest event of the season is the Baltimore St. Patrick's Day Parade. In its 53rd year, it starts at the Washington Monument on Charles Street at 2 p.m. Sunday. "Few know that Baltimore was the second-largest port of entry for Irish immigration - second only to New York," said Chris Gummer, who plays in the Fire Brigade Pipes and Drums of Greater Baltimore and has marched in the parade for 12 years.

Two shootings leave one dead, two injured A teenage boy died last night and a teenage girl remained hospitalized after each was shot in an apartment building in the Loch Raven neighborhood in Northeast Baltimore, a police spokesman said. Agent Donny Moses said Northeastern District police responding to a double shooting in the 5600 block of Loch Raven Blvd. shortly before 8 p.m. found the victims lying in the hallway of an apartment building. Moses said the 16-year-old boy was shot in the chest and was taken by ambulance to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he died.

Hampered by injuries her first two seasons, Mount Hebron cross-country standout Becky Yep is finally at full strength and showing off her potential. After recently finishing second to River Hill's Katie Harman at the Howard County championships, the junior came back a week later to top Harman at the Class 2A South regional meet. Earlier this season, she also captured the elite division of the Bull Run Invitational, as well as the Run from the Lions' Den at Liberty and Doc Jones Invitational at Annapolis.

Raymond J. Dombrowski, who taught music at Bel Air High School for more than 30 years and also was leader of the school's band and Bobcat Marching Band, died Monday of pancreatic cancer at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center. He was 79. Mr. Dombrowski, the son of Polish immigrant parents, was born in Pittsburgh and raised in New Castle, Pa. He began playing piano when he was 4, and after learning to play the saxophone and clarinet when he was a teenager, began performing with local dance bands.

In only his fourth year as director of Towson University marching band, John Miliauskas will be leading his musicians to the 2009 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. When he learned of the selection, Miliauskas felt a combination of excitement and relief; he had been applying for a spot for the past four years. "They only take well-established bands into the parade," he said. Miliauskas lives in York County, Pa., with his wife, Sarah, and their 2-month-old daughter, Ava. 1 Tickets to see Hairspray, the musical "I would love to take the entire marching band to a Broadway musical while we're in New York City for the Macy's parade.

Catonsville Hike with pets in Patapsco park Patapsco Valley State Park will hold a Pets in Patapsco hike and tour of the Glen Artney and Hilton areas from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. June 21. Participants should meet at the South Rolling Road parking area across the street from the Southwest Park and Ride in Catonsville. Pet owners will learn how to enjoy the outdoors with their pets while protecting the ecosystem. Participants are asked to take a leash, hiking shoes and bags for pet waste. Children younger than 12 should be with an adult.

M. Joseph Fischer, the director of bands at River Hill High School, has been recognized by School Band and Orchestra, a national publication, for its 10th annual, "50 Directors Who Make a Difference." Fischer, who has been at the school since 2003, was a natural choice for the distinction, Principal William Ryan said. "He's an incredible teacher who goes above and beyond what he's supposed to do," Ryan said. "I put him at the top of the 50 band instructors who make a difference." Fischer, 34, was surprised by the honor.

River Hill High School's marching band earned the title of national champion in Group III at the second annual U.S. Scholastic Band Association National Championships on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium. Competing with 14 other bands based on school size, the Clarksville school finished with a score of 95.55 (out of 100). It also won awards for best visual performance and best music performance. River Hill placed second in best overall effect, third in best color guard and fifth in best percussion.

So the Liberty High School Marching Band has to "quiet down" their Tuesday and Thursday rehearsal time. How ironic! Mr. Scott Friedly and his family move to Eldersburg two years ago and now there is a "noise problem" at Liberty High School. Did the Friedly family not know that Liberty High School was there? Did he not notice that his neighborhood backs not only to the school, but to the very large football field and stadium? How could he not know that there would be sports games, and with that, marching band practice?