PUNTA GORDA – Paul Montonari speaks to the Silver King Band after practice at 8 p.m.
“Between now and Tuesday, all of you practice the doodoo out of the music, okay? Learn your parts,” Montonari tells the kids.
They had been practicing at Charlotte High since 5 p.m., on a day when Punta Gorda was under a sizzling heat advisory. One of the students who had the sun bear down on him was co-drum major Joe Wolfe. This is his fourth year in the Silver King Band.
“We’re all very tight with each other as an ensemble,” Wolfe says.
He shares drum major duties with Sam Andrews, also in her fourth year at Charlotte High. She says despite the responsibilities, Montonari provides a less stressful atmosphere than you might expect from a marching band because he’d “much rather have everyone have a great learning experience than for us to get a superior.”
Then there’s their halftime show, which is an optimistic one. The show is called ‘I Believe.’
“It’s all about courage and how we can overcome different challenges. We have different quotes from Thomas Edison and JFK. And it’s all just gonna be about how America has overcome different challenges to be where we are now,” Wolfe says.
It’s an optimistic show, especially when you consider Gallup polling that shows widespread dissatisfaction with the current direction of the country. The show is a reminder that current dissatisfaction can lead to future change since we have overcome before.
And to Sam, you can take that mindset all the way down to being part of a team such as in this group.
“You can’t do a show with one person. Everyone has to be fully committed, fully into it, which gives an overall great feeling when you watch that show back, and it’s really rewarding,” she says.
