The Middletown High School Cavalier Marching Band is stepping in a winning direction, coming off a month of competition success.
    The band performed in their first competition of the 2008-2009 school year at Lake Forest High School earlier this month. They came in third place and scored one of their highest opening scores for the season.
    They then went to Souderton High School in Pennsylvania for a Tournament of Bands competition and won first place. The color guard also took first.
    Next, they headed to Frawley Stadium in Wilmington for a U.S. Scholastic Band Association competition, where the band, color guard, music and visual effect all took first place.
    They took first place at Frawley Stadium again on Oct. 18 and earned their highest score in the TOB circuit.
    The Cavalier Marching Band will next compete in their Tournament of Bands for Chapter 9 on Saturday, Nov. 1, in Annapolis, Md. Winners of that competition advance to the TOB Atlantic Coast Championships.
    “This is a very talented, hard working, devoted group of students,” said Band Booster President Val Huot. “They represent the school district, town and the state. They do it with pride, dignity and respect.”
    Band Director Dave Harris said this year’s band is the best of the best.
    “They’re good and they know it because they’ve worked really hard,” he said. “The strength of our students has been huge. We’ve had this program grow over the past couple of years and the students have really bought into everything.”
    Harris said the drum majors have been sent to leadership camp before the start of each season, and that has definitely played a part in the band’s success.
    “We have leaders who have been trained and really get it,” he said. “You can see how that would build over time. We’re setting high, high standards for the future.”
    He said he thinks the students’ band successes spill over into their academics, too.
    “I think their grades are better, they feel better about themselves, they know how to work and be successful,” Harris said. “It’s something they will remember the rest of their lives.”
    Just last year, the band was invited to play in the FedEx Orange Bowl in Florida.
    Harris said this school year he wants to perform at one of the nation’s premier events.
    “I’m working on applying to be in the inaugural parade. It would be at the [next] President’s inauguration,” he said. “I’m trying to go bigger than the Orange Bowl and not go far away. That would be my ultimate trip for these kids.”
    Harris said only about 50 bands from across the country are chosen for the parade, but the Cavs already have a national resume that proves they’re good enough to play for the next President of the United States.
Harris nominated two band members to play in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Sibling duo Andrew, a junior at MHS, and Cathleen Fuller, a sophomore, were accepted by the parade committee to perform in New York City. Andrew plays the tenor saxophone and Cathleen is in the color guard.
“They’re both very talented young people and I would love them to have this opportunity,” Harris said. “They’ll represent our school and state. Andrew is trying out for All State Band and has really grown on playing his instrument. Cathleen has certainly shown excellence in her performance.”
The siblings will stay in a hotel for about a week with other students from around the country, during which they will have to rehearse and will also have time for sight-seeing.
“It’s so exciting,” Andrew said. “I want to get as much musical experience as I possibly can because I want to major in music education in college. I figure if I get experience playing different kinds of music in different experiences, that will help me for the future.”
Cathleen said she’s looking forward to seeing how a national parade is performed. She said everything from their costumes to hair and makeup is mandated by the parade organizers.
“It’s different from regular marching band,” she said. “They sent us a bunch of papers and it was really thorough. It will be totally different from the football games. At the games, not everyone is there to see you. With this, people will be there to see us, a part of the parade.”
    Cathleen said she’s relieved to go with Andrew because they have a close relationship and they won’t be alone in the city.
    They have to learn their parade routines before they get to New York all while balancing their school competitions and basking in their band’s recent success.
    “Every time you win, you can feel everyone getting more excited for the next time,” Cathleen said. “Everyone’s getting more confident and enjoying it more.”
    Andrew, who is in his third year with the band, couldn’t agree more.
    “It’s actually pretty astounding that I get to be a part of all the success we’re having,” Andrew said. “I totally enjoy that.”