By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–It’s been business as usual of late for the widely acclaimed Union City High School band program.
The Marching Tornadoes – with a plethora of awards won in competitions in various states over the past four decades – recently completed their annual summer camp in preparation for their latest show.
Entitled ‘Twisted,’ the Purple People will perform their latest collaboration in five competitions this fall, in addition to hosting their own UC Invitational and entertaining at every high school football game.
Twenty seniors headline a group of 86 band members who’ll take the field for performances this fall.
They’ve completed the usual grueling summer ritual of camp that consisted of installing the show amid two weeks worth of long hot days and nights.
“We got everything done that we needed to,” said veteran director Jason Deem. “It’s very similar to a coach preparing his team for a long season – we work on fundamentals, conditioning with the elements, and the little particulars that might go unnoticed to the untrained eye.
“The heat is always the biggest challenge. Getting everyone acclimated to the outdoors – especially to some who haven’t spent any time outdoors this summer – is difficult. The secret is to find the right mixture of outside work, inside work, and rest. And I was pleased with the work ethic of everyone involved – from our students to our instructors.”
Deem, who’ll again be assisted by Joe Davis and longtime color guard head Laney Rogers, said the competition success of this year’s band would rest on the shoulders of a large senior group. He feels confident they’ll be up to the task of continuing the program’s well-noted tradition.
“We hold our seniors to a different standard than the rest of our group,” Deem insisted. “To (contest) judges, seniors and freshmen look the same, and they don’t care what grade you’re in when you’re being evaluated.
“The success of our program will always depend on our senior group. It’s not about me or anyone else.
“To be good, you have to want to be good. And I truly believe this bunch of kids really want to be good.”
Union City will participate in three rural West Tennessee contests this fall and also compete in Paragould (AR) before closing the competition season in the Division 2 championships in Smyrna on Nov. 4.
The annual WTSBOA Festival – also known as the Union City Invitational – is expected to again draw a wide variety of talented bands to War Memorial Stadium on Sept. 23.
2023 UCHS Band Competition Schedule
9/16/23 Contest – South Gibson Co. HS Medina, TN
9/23/23 WTSBOA Festival/UCI UCHS
9/30/23 Contest – Huntingdon HS Huntingdon, TN
10/14/23 Contest – Gibson Co. HS Dyer, TN
10/21/23 Contest – Paragould AR Paragould, AR
11/4/23 Contest – Division 2 Smyrna, TN