By By Chandler Myers
Camp has started for the Escambia County High School marching band and this year’s practices are more important than in the past.
The band will travel to New Orleans this winter to take part in the Sugar Bowl and other festivities surrounding the game.
Band director Dennis Reed said ECHS is excited about the invitation, as only a few high schools are selected for the honor.
At the Sugar Bowl, the band will have the chance to perform several times.
Reed said these appearances will be a great chance for the band to show off the music they work so hard to perfect.
He added that of the performances, the largest is the half-time show.
The ECHS band will be performing their new halftime show “West Side Story.”
Reed said that this halftime show is one of the most difficult they have done.
He added the band has started learning the movements to the first song and is showing promise.
The trip to the Sugar Bowl will be expensive and Reed said hopes that all his students are able to make the trip.
He added that donations are greatly appreciated and the students have already started their fundraising efforts and that the Poarch Band of Creek Indians has supplied them with an important piece of equipment.
The 2009 Sugar Bowl will take place on Jan. 2.