Community News

     The Oswego High School Marching Buccaneers are preparing to host the 2013 Pageant of Champions at 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 21. Tickets are $8 at the door the night of the event or $6 pre-sale from any band member by Sept. 20.

     Inspired by the historic flight of Amelia Earhart, this year's production by the OHS Marching Bucs pays homage to the female pilot's legacy of courage and tenacity.
     The band performed their show, "Amelia Earhart: Legacy of Courage," for the first time to family, friends and fellow students just days before performing in their first competition Sept. 7 at East Syracuse-Minoa, where they captured second place against ESM and New Hartford.
     "They performed well in their first competition and have a lot to build on," said Scott Ciesla, band director and program coordinator. "The students are gaining confidence and are poised to have an outstanding season."
     He said the Marching Buccaneers have continued to grow and currently is comprised of 110 members. This year, the band will be competing in Small School 1 (SS1), the National Class of small schools. Ciesla said this reclassification is due to decreasing school enrollment in the Oswego City School District.
     "As the director, we always strive to compete at the highest level and that will always be the goal of our program," he said. "As for competition, I think we will do quite well in this class because we will competing against bands that are of similar size."
      Ciesla described the opening movement of this year's production, which pays tribute to Earhart's youthful exuberance, and how it is meant to evoke a sense of freedom that comes from soaring through the air.
     The music for the second movement, he said, titled "Ignition," turns more technical to represent the beginning of Earhart's intense flight.
     "This segment shows the turbulence and chaos she experienced in what ultimately was her last flight, concluding with the crash of Amelia's plane and the resulting chaos of that tragedy," Ciesla explained. "We begin the third segment of our show wondering why this happened. A small brass ensemble sets the somber tone of this passage by paying their respects. This movement climaxes with a brief intense impact almost asking why and showing the anger of losing such an important figure in history."
     Finally, a subtle homage to Earhart is woven into the fabric of the show with the scarf motif in the color guard.
     "Once the last scarf is removed, a Dove is formed as we symbolize her spirit passing," Ciesla said. "The final movement of the show celebrates her courage and how she inspired future pilots to push the boundaries of aviation that forever changed history."
     The drum majors for this year's edition of the Bucs are Cassandra Hondro and Anne Reynolds. Soloists include Emily King (trumpet), Tory Welsch (trumpet), Alexander Carl (mellophone), Justin Abbott (trombone), Conor Henrie (tuba), Betsey O'Gorman (guard) and Danielle Gilbert (guard).
     The 2013 OHS Marching Buccaneers also boasts two All-Americans, which is quite a feat as there were only four students selected from all of New York State. The two band members, Cassandra Hondro and Emily King, will be honored at a special ceremony to be held Oct. 3 on Joe Wilbur Field.
     For more information on the Oswego High School Marching Buccaneers, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OHSBands or the official website, www.oswegobands.org.