Brush Bands

The Brush Bands (also known as Brush Arcs Marching Band, or simply the BAMB) belongs to Charles F. Brush High School in Lyndhurst, Ohio. It is currently the largest organization in the school, with roughly 175 students involved. The marching band performs at all football games, as well as community parades and events in Cleveland, Ohio. The band was also asked to participate in the 2013 London New Year's Day Parade, but had to back out because of the high price of the trip. The two concert bands perform at school concerts as well as Ohio Music Education Association regional contests. The entire band program in the South Euclid-Lyndhurst School District consists of over 500 students in grades 5-12.
Marching Band
Direction
The band is currently under the direction of Mrs. Kaylee Flynt. It is under the direction of Assistant Directors Barry Hartz and Nathan Harris. The BAMB was under the direction of Mr Brad Leyer up until the summer of 2010. At that time Leyer took an assistant principle position at the same high school. In addition, Kaylee Flynt directs the Brush High School Wind Ensemble during concert band season. Nathan Harris directs the Symphonic Band and Jazz Bands. Barry Hartz directs both the Concert and Honors Bands at Memorial Junior High School.
Previous band directors include Barry Hartz, Gretchen Weaver, and Brad Leyrer.
Composition
The Brush Arcs Marching Band consists of eight sections: Trumpet, Saxophone, Melophone, Tuba/Sousaphone, Clarinet, Trombone, Flute, and Drumline. The drumline consists of six cymbal players, six snares, five base drums, and three quad tenors. Each section has two section leaders, usually a senior or junior. The section leader is in charge of his or her section's ability to play and march the music correctly. Each section has three squad leaders in addition to the section leader, who for drumline is normally a tenor player. The center snare player is the snare leader and a second section leader for the drumline. There is no set number of students in each section, and the numbers change from year to year.
Uniform
The uniforms for the Brush Arcs Marching Band are made by Stanbury Uniforms. The uniforms feature the school colors, brown and gold. The band members wear brown shako style hats with gold trim and a golden eagle clutching an olive branch and arrows, much like the Presidential Seal. The drumline and tuba sections wear brown berets tilted to the left instead of hats to allow easier donning of the instruments. The uniform pants are all brown and feature a golden stripe down the leg. The jackets are mainly brown, with a white front. This front panel has six gold stripes crossing it. Brush is also stitched into the shoulder in gold. The shoes are black Dinkles worn with white leather spats. The pants must be hemmed so that they are three inches off the ground to allow the spats to be seen.
There is also a summer uniform, for use when temperatures are too high to wear the 100% wool uniforms. These consist of a white T-shirt with the Brush Bands logo on the chest and khaki shorts.
Marching Style
The BAMB is a performance "show" band. The primary purpose of the band is to support the football team during games. Traditionally, the band emphasized sound quality over amount of movement. The drill was limited and the emphasis on marching ability was overshadowed by the playing ability of the band. As of the 2011-12 season, marching has become a more important part of the show. The drill has become much more complicated, incorporating a drill worthy of a competition band while retaining the musical quality which has made the band popular. Also, a corps style marching has become a part of the band, where crossing on the ands is now crucial. During the practice cadence conversions during pregame as well as running cadence entrances and exits to pregame and halftime chair step is used. This is kicked off by "chair" which is four quarter notes on the lowest base drum followed by a four count percussion fill. Percussion does not chair step, but in the past years the emphasis on marching within the percussion has become more strict. Roll stepping correctly has begun to phase out lazy flat stepping in both percussion and the entire band.
Training
The Marching Band holds summer training starting at the end of July and lasting until school starts in late August. Unofficially the summer starts when the music for the year is distributed to members with their second semester report cards. The first week of the summer practice is Training Week One and lasts from Tuesday until Friday. This week's purpose is the review of fundamental skills as well as teaching freshman the basics of marching. By the end of the week the band is able to march together as a unit as well as play through all of the pregame songs and at least one halftime piece. Two days later on Sunday the band leaves for band camp at Edinboro University in Edinboro, Pennsylvania. Sunday is a quick review of marching fundamentals and then learning pregame drill. The average day consists of morning rehearsal, lunch, afternoon rehearsal, free time, sectionals, dinner, evening rehearsal. From start to finish, the day lasts 13 hours. The week is spent learning the halftime shows and drill. The band is together for the entire day minus sectionals and percussion, who only join the band during evening rehearsal. After rehearsal, activities are run by the chaperones. These include Freshman Auction/Olympics, Senior Skits, and rootbeer float night. Also, percussion some years walks into town and buys ice cream. A "march-off" is run late in the week, which is a competition of commands that get increasingly difficult. The entire band participates and within ten minutes the band has withered down to the top five. Usually upperclassmen, specifically tuba players, do very well, although percussionists are slowly working their way into the top five. On the last night it is Senior night. The senior members stay up all night rigging the dorms and field with pranks. These include spray painting the rival colleges of the directors into the field, putting cups of water in front of the director's door, and a drum line prank of saran wrapping an instructor's car and spray painting it. After a week off, Training Week Two starts, which is review and final rehearsal of the pregame and halftime shows, as well as learning stand tunes.
Performances
The BAMB performs at each football game, as well as other community events. The band marches in the Lyndhurst Home Days Parade, Brush High School Homecoming Parade, and South Euclid Memorial Day Parade. The band is also asked to play in events in Cleveland and in other states. On the morning of September 23, 2005, the Brush Band played for News Channel 5 on Good Morning Cleveland. The band has performed at Epcot at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, the Azalea Festival Parade of Nations in Norfolk, Virginia, and at the Ohio State University (Skull Session). The band performed the National Anthem at Progressive Field before the Cleveland Indians game on September 22, 2009. In August 2010, the BAMB played at the start of the Cleveland Heart Walk on the Cleveland Mall.
Pregame
Before each game the band has a pregame performance. It starts with the Brush Fanfare, followed by "chair" played by the drumline. Then the fight song, "Washington and Lee Swing", is played along with its drill. The drumline then goes into practice cadence as the band marches forward into arcs. Then the band plays the Washington and Lee Tag. The Alma Mater is then played, followed by the National Anthem. The drumline then plays practice cadence as the band moves back field and into a B. They play "Americans We" by Henry Fillmore and moves downfield to the endzone. The B then splits into two and the band replays the fight song as the football team runs through the "tunnel" formed by the two parts of the band.
Halftime
Each year the band plays four halftime tunes. The outline of the halftime show stays the same, as is tradition, and goes as follows.The band lines up on the track behind the away team's sideline. The band moves onto the sideline in halftime formation, with the exception of the drumline, who is at the front. The drumline plays the cadence "Rock It" and marches up to their starting positions for the first halftime piece. The drumline then plays their running cadence as the rest of the band marches in between the percussionists and up to their starting positions. The band then proceeds to play the halftime show. Pieces the band has played in the past are "Longtime" from the group Boston, Get It On by Chase, Birdland from the group Weather Report, "Karn Evil 9 (First Impression Part Two)" by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheep" by AC/DC, Frankenstein by Edgar Winter, "Bad Medicine" by Bon Jovi, and AD 1928 / Rockin The Paradise from the group Styx. Then after the halftime show has been completed, the band marches off the field to running cadence. During home games, after the band marches off the field they immediately turn and cadence back the band stands behind the end zone.
Standtunes
The band plays many standtunes throughout the game. After any Brush touchdown, the fight song is played. After a field goal or extra point, Washington and Lee Tag is played. In between plays the drumline will cadence at the discretion of the director. Hang on Sloopy, Eye of the Tiger, Smoke on Water, , among others. The drumline also plays along with fans chanting defense or "Here we go Brush Arcs, here we go".
Arcettes
The Brush Arcs Marching Band also features a dance team, instead of a flag corps or color guards. Instead of being majorettes, they are called Arcettes, after the Arcs. The Arcettes attend band camp with the band but have separate rehearsals. The dance line performs with the band in all football games and parades. The Arcettes have two uniforms, one black and one white. The black uniforms are used for halftime shows only. The white uniforms are used for pregame performances and parades.
Concert Bands
During the concert band season the band is split into two. Mrs. Flynt conducts the Wind Ensemble, while Mr. Allen conducts the Symphonic Band.
Wind Ensemble
Wind Ensemble is the smaller band of the two. It is made up of the musicians who score higher in testing. It is moredifficult to get into this ensemble, and represents the elite. This band participates in Class A of the OMEA and has a long tradition of earning one's at contests.
Symphonic Band
This is the larger element of the Brush Bands. This ensemble participates in Class C of the OMEA and also has a tradition of earning high marks.
Jazz Band
Jazz Band is conducted by Mrs Kaylee Flynt. Composed of trumpets, trombones, saxophones, bass, guitar, and drum set. Some flutes and clarinets have also played in the Jazz Ensemble, but it is rare. All members must audition and be chosen to participate. Jazz Band performs at all concerts as well as other school events.
Cadences
Here is the complete list of cadences played by the BAMB Drumline:
GW (Gertrude Wretchen, a former director),
The New Groove,
The Old Groove,
Gotta Move,
Rock It (The only cadence tapped off by a non-tenor, the center snare),
Carrolton.
Loughatti,
The Series,
D&K
Running cadence and Practice cadence are also played. Running is used for entrances and exits from the field, while practice is used for on-field conversions.
The Old Groove, The Groove, and GW are cadences exclusive to Brush, being written by drumline members
Alma Mater
Hail to the Brown and hail to the Gold,Hail to dear Brush High the school we uphold,We love no other, so let our motto be: "Victory, Brush High School Varsity."

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