Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the West Branch Band is making some changes. Without being able to meet in person, Mr. Jones has been conducting “Google Meet” meetings to keep the members informed. For starters, concert band members were asked to keep an online practice journal for the remainder of the school year. Unlike many classes, it isn’t as easy to make a band happen over an online meeting. Everyone needs to play together and he just doesn’t know if that is a possibility. Unlike what you see on social media everyone isn’t getting online and playing together. It is actually individually recorded and spliced together to create the video. Mr. Jones asked for a few volunteers to try just playing together online. On Thursday, May 14th at Mr. Jones and a few upperclassmen met to see if a video conference is even an option. Through some of their trials, they figured out that a small group conference was an option to enhance their musical abilities.
Much like everything else happening in the world, the band has had events canceled. The Mighty Warrior Marching Band was scheduled to take a trip to NYC to see the production of Wicked on Broadway. That was canceled when Governor Wolf announced the closing of all Pennsylvania schools. The annual Spring concert was set for May 14th and that was also canceled. In-person auditions for Band Front, Drum Major, and Drum Line were canceled. As of now, the only auditions that occurred were Drum Major auditions via video submissions. The band stepped back this year from the Philipsburg Heritage Days and The Osceola 4th of July parades and were to attend only the Curwensville Days, Clearfield Fair, and Kylertown parade. As of May 14th, the Curwensville Days parade has been canceled. The band hopes that they do have a summer season and Mr. Jones plans on sending music to the students so they can practice at home. In a letter posted by the superintendent on May 4th, it stated that summer band and many other school activities may not begin until after June 30th or otherwise stated by the PDE (Pennsylvania Department of Education)
