The Pride of Durant band finished band camp last week as they begin to march into the school year.
Blake Preston is a junior and co-drum major of the Durant High School Band.
He said band camp began on Aug. 2 and it went really well.
“We’re putting in a lot of hard work and everyone’s doing really good and it’s going to be a great year,” Preston said. “We’re learning the fundamentals of marching and how to put on our marching show for later this year because we’re going to go compete and so we need to know all of our fundamentals and stuff to do well.”
Preston said the Pride will be going to bigger competitions this season.
“I’m excited,” Preston said. “Hopefully, we do really good.”
Head band instructor Chris Gregg said this year’s halftime show is called “Spellbound” and that it is a voodoo love story.
“So, we’re going to have witches and cauldrons and bridges and things, and we’ll see if the couple gets together at the end of the show,” Gregg said. “So, anyway, it’s cool. The music’s a lot of fun. So, Bruno Mars is in it. We have an old jazz tune called ‘I Put a Spell on You,’ old, dark tune, and some classical in there too. Kids are playing it pretty well already too, so I’m proud of them.”
Gregg said the Pride has been successful for years and is blessed.
“As you see how hot it is out here, we have 130 something kids coming out, sweating,” Gregg said. “I’m sure they complain but they don’t do it around me. So, again, what makes this band program successful, these great, special kids. So, I’m really, really, really blessed to be here and I work with them.”
While the band currently has a little more than 130 students, Gregg said he expects the numbers to increase because there are new students still coming in.
This is Gregg’s 29th year leading the band in Durant and 35 years overall as a band instructor.
“I’ve been here a long time,” Gregg said.
Gregg said there have been staff changes because of the retirement of co-instructor Leslie Gregg, Gregg’s wife, and dance team instructor Misty Forbis also retired. Gregg’s son, Andrew Gregg, who previously was an instructor at Antlers where he was very successful, is taking Mrs. Gregg’s place. Andrew’s wife Kassie, who is Forbis’ daughter, is taking her place to lead the dance team.
“So, while I’m going to miss those two ladies, I’m really excited to see what these two new staff members bring to us,” Gregg said. “It’s going to be fun seeing family a little more often, and seeing grandkids of course, so anyway, it’s going to be a special year and I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens.”
