Treasured tradition

DOVER — In his play "Twelfth Night," Shakespeare penned a phrase, “If music be the food of love, play on.”

For a half century, Dover High School’s Green Wave Marching Band Show has musically fed thousands of fans of marching band members and fans throughout the region.

Over that time, hundreds of high school bands have participated. On Saturday, Oct. 19 at Dover High School’s Dunaway Field, the 50th annual Band Show will celebrate its silver anniversary as 14 bands are prepared to dazzle the crowd.

“The show is a highlight of our season,” said Jim Butka, Dover High School’s band and chorus director. “Generally, when we play before an audience it is at the half time of a football game. Saturday night is a gathering of people who came for the music, and our kids look forward to that.”

The bands are from New Hampshire high schools, including Dover, Exeter and Spaulding, as well as the University of New Hampshire and the University of Maine. They vary in size, some barely in double-digits, while others bring more than 100 members. Moultonborough High School will be playing for the first time before an audience. Members of the Dover High School band from the past 49 years are invited to play the “Star Spangled Banner” with the current band, meaning the occasion could feature teens playing alongside parents or grandparents.

The kids Butka refers to are freshmen through seniors and all are involved because of their love of music performing. Many have begun elementary school on instruments in Dover’s large music program. And of those band members are legacies, following in the marching footsteps of family.

The Carville family is a classic example, Craig’s dad, Chellis, was the longtime band director at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Dover, while Craig graduated from Dover High and has been associated with the DHS band for more than 30 years. Craig, currently the DHS band’s visual designer and instructor, has a large number of relatives involved with Dover’s marching band, as well as his wife, daughter, son Connor, who is now a percussion instructor for the band and son Chris, who is a band member this year.

The show is not a competition, instead it provides an opportunity for the participants to show their musical and marching skills. As well as a mix of instruments, most bands also have a color guard using a variety of flag movements as well as tossing and catching a variety of props like rifles and sabers.

Band members voice different reasons for performing. Both drum majors, Elaina Valdez and Audrey Else cited a desire to help for taking on leadership positions. Audrey’s brother Collin, now a student at Columbia University, refers to “joining the marching band as one of the most rewarding decisions made in my academic career.” Collin served as drum major his junior and senior years.

Marayssa Raimondo’s mother Debbie Caritos was DHS color guard captain in 1987 and her freshman daughter “couldn’t wait” to be a member of the DHS color guard.

Justin Bonny comes from a family of percussionists, while clarinetist Alex Holt’s dad, Keith, is a Dover School Board member. Keith is a Portsmouth High School band veteran who is still performing in a local group, and he refers to his high school band experience as “the single most important thing for me in high school, and helped to make me who I am today.”

Lydia Cabral in effect grew up with band/color guard. Her mother Jessica was and instructor for many years with the award-winning Dover Color and Winter Guard. “I have been anticipating performing in this for years,” said Lydia, a freshman.

Numerous band members voiced the pleasure of seeing the work of other bands. In addition to that, Audrey Else commented that “the band show brings people together, not only individual bands, but music-loving people from around the region.” Audrey’s brother Collin called performing in the band show as “an opportunity to perform in front of the Dover community, and showcase the work we had been doing. I am proud to call myself an alumnus.”

Rochester’s Spaulding High School music and band director Joanne Houston has great admiration for the event. “Kudos to Dover’s show for its 50 years. It gives all the musicians a chance to be appreciated,” she said.

The show, which is hosted by the Dover Parents Music Club Boosters begins a 6 p.m. Saturday at Dunaway Field. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. All proceeds go to the DHS Music Department.