The Revere High School (RHS) Marching Band is preparing to perform, host numerous other bands and raise funds for the music program at its annual band invitational on Saturday, September 28.
Each year, the RHS Marching Band and several other local marching bands perform in front of judges at RHS to receive feedback and suggestions for improvement. The pie tent run at the invitational also serves as one of the largest yearly fundraisers for the music program. In the weeks before the invitational, the members of the Revere Music Parents Association (RMPA) organize the financial aspects of the event while the directors and band members work to perfect their performance.
The band directors and parent volunteers plan and organize the invitational, and preparation starts as early as the summer before the event. Tom Chiera, the director of the marching band, described the timeline the coordinators follow when preparing for the invitational.
“Over the summer, we start communicating some things to our parent volunteers, [but] the real work [starts] probably about six weeks prior to the event, and then it’s pretty daily,” Chiera said.
Chiera also explained the band’s approach to rehearsals when practicing their show, noting that creating daily goals helps them improve their performance overall.
“We’ll set the goals for the day, [and] approach that goal in a strategic manner so we can use our time efficiently, give everyone an opportunity to learn their role and work well together to put on a good show,” Chiera said.
As the marching band season progresses, the band’s show develops and changes. Montana Fassnacht, the assistant director of the marching band, explained how the directors support the students as their show changes.
“We’re always kind of adding and changing things, so I do think continuing to give them as much consistent practice . . . is super important,” Fassnacht said.
The invitational requires numerous volunteers to support the judges, visiting bands, attendees and RHS band members at the event. Fassnacht noted this as one of the primary challenges in preparing for the invitational.
“One of the biggest things is . . . finding all of the people to come and support things. We have so many different volunteer positions that are open . . . but it takes a lot of people and a lot of manpower to put on the type of event that we do,” Fassnacht said.
The invitational’s success does not stop at the performances. Rather, the funds raised from pie sales help fulfill the band’s needs throughout the year. Jennifer Palmer, the president of the RMPA, explained the process of obtaining and organizing the pies before the event.
“A sign-up . . . goes out to tell everyone that it’s time for pies and what we’re looking for. We usually ask people to specifically state what type of pie they’re going to bring, and then that way, we can keep track of how many pies are coming in a certain area,” Palmer said.
On the day of the invitational, parent and student volunteers will run the tent and sell pies to attendees. The money raised from the sales, as Palmer explained, will go towards various vital expenses within the music program throughout the year.
“We operate on a budget, and so we usually go into things knowing what each area is going to need or what requests are coming up. . . . All of the groups that receive funding from RMPA . . . submit their budget for what they need help with paying for . . . and then sometimes requests that come up, we’re using those funds to help cover those things,” Palmer said.
This will be the eighteenth year of the Revere invitational, meaning the event has developed and changed throughout the years. Fassnacht emphasized this sentiment, explaining that with each year, they are always searching for new ways to improve the event.
“The only challenge that you continue to have as you do it time and time again is, how can you refine it? And how can you make a better experience for not just us, but also for all that are coming to campus? I think we’re always looking for ways to change things for the better,” Fassnacht said.
The directors and Palmer showcased their hard work and skills at the invitational last weekend.
