With the color guard flags whipping in the breeze, the Shepard High School marching band rehearses their new field show. (Supplied photos)

With the color guard flags whipping in the breeze, the Shepard High School marching band rehearses their new field show. (Supplied photos)

Marching Astros take the field

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Weeks before the start of the new school year, marching band members from Shepard High School baked in the summer sun to prepare for the coming competitive season.

As much as any event, marching band camp signals the start of a new school year.  For a week, the Marching Astros arrived early and stayed late to learn the new field show, titled “Dancing Through Darkness,” they will perform at home football games and competitions.

Refining the field show takes time.  Band director Christopher Pitlik and the assistant instructors need band camp to orchestrate the complex movements and music for the desired visual effect.

The Shepard band will compete this fall at contests hosted by Andrew High School, Northern Illinois University, Lincoln-Way Central High School, and Illinois State University.

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Shepard High School students rehearse their new competition field show at marching band camp. 

regional 8 11 absBandCamp22rowA1

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