The Rio Rico Marching Hawks were judged superior in their first competition of the year at University of Arizona Band Day competition in Tucson Oct. 3. Superior is the highest rating. “They tend to do pretty well during the year, but this is the best start they’ve had in the four years I’ve been here, so I’m pretty excited,” Rio Rico band director Alli Coyle said.

Rio Rico High marching band flutes and clarinets perform during U of A Band Day competition Oct. 3 in Tucson. Photo / Cory Wacavich

Sponsored by the university’s School of Music, the event included 30 bands in Division Three for High School bands Coyle said. Rio Rico’s Marching Band’s superior rating is the highest awarded.

The band’s year begins in July with a Band Camp, Coyle said. The camp is 10 days long, and is held at Rio Rico High School. Band members attend the camp from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. “We don’t work as many hours as some bands do, but we tend to get the results regardless, which I like.”

Rio Rico’s marching band participates in three marching band competitions throughout the year. Additionally, there are two concert band competitions and two or three jazz competitions during the school year, Coyle said.

In general, everything the band members learn is at Rio Rico High School, Coyle said. “I just send a few kids to the Summer Marching Academy during the summer. It’s a leadership camp.”

In addition to band practice twice a week after school, members attend a band class during the school day.

Drum Major Nicholas Quiroz is one of the leaders of the Marching Hawks. A senior this year, Quiroz has been in band since sixth grade, he said. “I love band. I play trombone and try to learn as many other instruments as I can.”

As a drum major, Quiroz conducts the band from the band box, he said. “I have to know all the music we’re playing. I have to know enough about music as I can so I can help anybody else out here that needs help. I’m the one they should ask; and I should know the answer.”

Getting a superior rating in their first competition of the year was a surprise to Quiroz, he said. “The performance wasn’t perfect, but we did pretty well.”

The band performed two of their three numbers during competition, Quiroz said. The three pieces are tied together with the theme Night Watch. “Just the band and the color guard �“ flags �“ performed. We only performed two at U of A. Last year I was drum major, so I had all the conducting strategies but, pretty much, I prepared all summer, conducting and memorizing.”

Musical future

There is music in Quiroz’s future, he said. “I and my sister (Monique) want to go on and be musicians.

Rio Rico will go on as well, Quiroz said. “We’re getting bigger and bigger numbers each year. The potential is becoming greater. Everything we’re working on in High School the middle-schoolers have been working on. By the time they get into High School, they’re just as good as we are now.”

Band members’ dedication and pride resulted in the superior rating, Quiroz said. “All of us love music, or else we wouldn’t be here.”

Rio Rico Marching Hawks excellence starts with an excellent Middle School feeder program, Coyle said. “They don’t know any different. We have them listen to the music we want them to listen to. We have them listen to that sound and tone quality that’s what we expect of them, from fifth grade on and that’s what we get.

“They want to be here,” Coyle said. “They’re great kids.”

The band learns three numbers under the Night Watch theme. “We learn one show for the season that is preformed during the halftime shows at all football games and all three band competitions. The idea is to get better and better,” Coyle said.

The superior rating also surprised Coyle, she said. “I was obviously thrilled. That was pretty cool and it sets the bar really high for us for the season. That’s great. They need a really good kick in the pants. Now we have to live up to ourselves.”

There is no typical band member, but they share some of the same characteristics. “They’re all different, depending on the kid and what instrument they play, but overall, band kids tend to be the smart ones. They tend to be hard working. They tend to be very dedicated. They tend to be hard on themselves. They tend to be perfectionists. They’re good team players. They want each other to be successful. They help each other with their homework. They help each other practicing. They’re really, really good, fun kids to hang out with. They’re hilarious. I love my job. I couldn’t ask for better kids.”

The band is ready for Homecoming against Cholla Friday at 7 p.m., Coyle said. “We’re just going to do our show, play a lot in the stands and support the team. We have three kids from the band who are homecoming royalty so they get to stand out there at halftime in their uniforms and look extra cool.”