by Shawn Goretsky (8th)
About the PW Marching Colonials
My name is Shawn Goretsky, and I am a percussionist in the PW Marching Band. As the school year begins, the band is gearing up for many exciting competitions and high school football games. I’d like to share a little about our band and what makes it special.
Participants
Our marching band is a diverse group, including students from 8th through 12th grade. I play in the drumline, which features instruments like quads, bass drums, and snare drums. I’m proud to be the only middle schooler in the drumline. Another important part of the band is the color guard. While they don’t play instruments, they add energy with props and dance routines. Natalie Varrone is the only middle schooler in the color guard.
The band also has the usual instruments you’d expect, such as flutes, clarinets, trumpets, tubas, trombones, and saxophones. We also have some less common instruments like the baritone, which has a lower pitch, and the piccolo, a smaller version of the flute. Caitlin Timer plays flute, and Cameron Moore plays clarinet in the band.
You might not have heard of the pit—they’re the musicians who don’t march but play instruments like the xylophone, piano, guitar, and drum set. Lastly, we have the Drum Major, who leads the band. Despite the name, the Drum Major doesn’t play drums but conducts the band and adds visual flair with some dance moves during performances.
Our Show
This year, our show is called Until You Love Yourself, a continuation of last year’s theme. The show has three parts. The first part is intense and fast-paced, featuring a special performance by the pit and drumline near the end. The second part slows down to 75 beats per minute—it's a ballad where the entire band showcases visual elements usually performed by the color guard. One of our guitarists even sings during this section. The final part is upbeat and jazzy, faster than the second but slower than the first, with lots of dramatic pauses and holds.
Marching Band So Far
So far this season, the band has played at high school football games, performing popular songs in the stands to entertain fans. For away games, we perform our full show at halftime, while for home games, we play during the pregame. We also competed at the Cavalcade competition in Phoenixville, where we performed in the American A division against three other bands. We proudly earned 1st place and won the High Color Guard award, recognizing the best color guard in our division.
Our success is thanks to our incredible director, Mr. Biddle, whose leadership has brought us this far. It’s an exciting time to be part of the PW Marching Colonials!