The Portsmouth High School Band of Tomorrow

High School Band Competition season kickoffs today for the Portsmouth Sound. I’m proud to say my daughter has carried on our family’s band tradition, down to playing Trombone, which I played in High School. As such, I’m feeling a bit nostalgic about our good old days in band.

Our Band Director, Billy Watson, touched more lives than he could possibly imagine during his time teaching at Portsmouth High School. His legacy, and that of the High School Band he forged back in the 1970s and 1980s lives on to this day. People still remember the powerhouse that was The Band of Tomorrow. I’m proud to have been a part of the Band of Tomorrow from 1984-1988, and Mr. Watson was one of those teachers that changed my life.

During my marching career, the Fall of 1985 was the pinnacle of PHS Band’s excellence. I only wish my memory and scrapbook were better. I know we won several Grand Championships that year and to this day our 1985 show is the yardstick I use to measure High School Bands. It’s not a matter of vanity to say we were amazing that year. Our performance in Ohio Stadium in 1985 at the Buckeye Invitational was the highlight of band during my time in high school.

In order to overcome the nostalgia plaguing me today I’d like to share the PHS Band of Tomorrow’s performance at the Buckeye Invitational in Ohio Stadium. Set the wayback machine to October 26, 1985 and enjoy a blast from 30 years in the past:

Today, the Portsmouth Sound takes the field to start their competition season. I’m excited to watch them, and jealous in a way. While I would never want to return to high school, the rush of stepping off on that field, and the elation of performing and feeling the musical synergy that can only be produced by marching band and drum corps is an experience that can’t be matched.

In a time when school music programs are pushed aside and continue to falter, I’m glad The Portsmouth Sound carries on our traditions of marching band at Portsmouth High School. I know current band director Matt Swintek instills a fierce loyalty in his students. I can only hope my daughter and the rest of this incarnation of the Portsmouth High School Band value their precious time in band, listen and absorb the positive lessons Mr. Swintek tries to teach them, and most importantly, that they take away the life lessons and work ethic I learned during my time in band.

Times have changed. Marching band has changed, but the ideals remain the same. Mr. Watson always told us “it’s better to shoot for the moon and miss, than to aim for the top of the house and make it.” Still words to live by.