The Parkside High School Marching Band had not made regional finals in over ten years. With an ensemble of spoiled students, a failing staff, and no support from anyone outside the program, it was easy to see why. It wasn't that the school couldn't provide the right resources; Parkside was one of the richest communities in the state. It wasn't that the students weren't talented; they hit the right notes most of the time while in step. What was missing were all the things that make a marching band special: pride, perseverance, friendship, and determination. Those sort of things couldn't be ordered or taught; they had to be inspired. Parkside High School didn't realize that until old Mr. Hammons quit, and Mr. Gustav Alexander Vandirhoffen took his place.
I was a sophomore dreading another year of unproductive practices and embarrassing football games. I enjoyed going to school at Parkside because the campus was beautiful. The design and grounds competed with state colleges, and the buildings were all in excellent condition. Parkside was after all full of rich important people; my parents were some of the less important and rich people, but still there. That's why I was at Parkside. The academics were great, the sports teams did decently, and the student body was a good size. The band, however, was a disaster.
The band program had been horrible for years, and the orchestra and choir weren't much better. Lots of people asked why they didn't just end the music department, but that would cause the question of why would a nice school like Parkside not have a marching band? It was for appearances, and that was basically all we did. We appeared at football games and played our crummy fight song no more than four times; we marched our show for an empty stadium all waiting in line at the snack stand. We appeared at practice and went through the motions Mr. Hammons grumbled. We appeared at pep rallies and played one of three second-hand Sousa marches once or twice, and that was about it.
I loved playing clarinet. I thought it was fun and challenging; I wasn't very good, but I knew I could be. With that little bit of hope, I kept at it. My mother also forced me to stay in band. She knew if I gave up, I'd regret it. So far, I've been glad to have that excuse of "my mom won't let me quit" because I never have. Unfortunately, the Parkside Marching Lions didn't make it that much fun. That was until Mr. Vandirhoffen came. Students would be in awe, band girls would fall in love with his amazing son, football games would be the highlight of the week, and an entire school would be changed—forever.
Well, to best explain everything, I better go back to the beginning.