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VRHS brings the noise to 5A

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As the Vista Ridge Marching Band performed during the finals of last Saturday's Area D Marching Contest, a train passed by close to Round Rock ISD Stadium.

That didn't faze the band one bit.

“We're used to all the construction going on here at school so we've really learned to focus on our program,” Vista Ridge senior drum major Brooke Piskator said Wednesday afternoon.

Construction of a new 400-seat auditorium is taking place smack dab between the band hall and the area where marching practice takes place. It involves one 18-wheeler after another hauling dirt or bringing in heavy equipment.

The Vista Ridge band has learned to block out the noise and construction dust to concentrate. This isn't the only obstacle the band has overcome. They've lost potential band members because a new high school opened nearby.

They've moved from 4A to 5A. No matter what comes their way, this group keeps marching toward that goal.

Now they'll march in the University Interscholastic League Class 5A State Marching Band Contest on Tuesday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Getting there was a joyous feat.

“I started crying,” said junior drum major Marissa Garza. “But it was worth all the hard work.”

Vista Ridge Band Director Bryan Christian said moving to 5A was a bigger obstacle for his group than the construction noise.

“There was a lot of self doubt with some of our kids going to 5A this year,” said Christian, who guided the band to the 4A state competition last year. But when Rouse High School opened with freshmen only this year, it drew students who would have gone to Vista Ridge. Last year Vista Ridge had 170 members, whereas this year that number is 145. “It's difficult to compete with the volume.”

Christian added that his band will probably “be one of the underdogs” at the state meet. “We're thrilled to be invited to the dance.”

With this band, there seems to be no obstacle too big. And in the end, it's not always about how high they place.

“We just want to leave everything out on the field and walk off knowing we gave it our best,” said junior drum major Sarika Sanghvi.

Everything else is just dust in the wind.

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