Dressed in a shimmering gold jacket and gold top hat, KD Davis stood tall among his bandmates as they lined up to lead the campus in a spirit walk-through heading into Jackson Academy’s game with Pillow Academy on Friday. Students from K3 through twelfth grades, sporting gold accents of all sorts for the Go Gold theme, waited for the first notes to signal the parade’s beginning.
Setting the pace for the band is part of KD’s role as drum major. According to Assistant Band Director Jeremey Burnham, band directors look for someone who “leads by example,” who always does the right thing, and is a person other students want to emulate. KD fits the description. Besides determining timing and cueing the first notes, KD leads by example with non-musical qualities that give the band that extra spark.
KD auditioned for drum major because, he said, “I felt like I could make a difference and provide leadership as drum major. The energy, commitment, effort, and attitude I show affect the band and how it performs.”
KD’s experience makes a difference because he knows what it is like to be a beginner in band and a senior leader. KD joined the beginner band in sixth grade at another school under current JA Band Director Todd Taylor. He became part of the JA band program in eighth grade. He now assists with JA’s beginner band, helping introduce sixth graders to a program he enjoys and plans to pursue as a career. KD says his work with the sixth grade will increase in the spring when they have moved past the basics. Not only does he help with their music, but he also encourages them by showing what their hard work can someday become. KD is currently looking at colleges with plans to study music theory and education. He intends to be a band director.
For now, KD’s work and the efforts of all the band members have led to what KD calls a “good week.” The band returned from the CD Hagan Marching Invitational on Saturday in Brandon, where they brought home seven first-place trophies. Their efforts yielded fourth place overall, competing with some much larger schools. According to Burnham, JA was the only private school and the only school that marched seventh and eighth graders along with their high school band. Awards included drum major, color guard, percussion, overall effect/music, visual performance/individual, overall effect/visual, and music performance/individual.
JA’s soloists scored the highest in the entire competition. KD won best drum major, scoring 98 out of a possible 100 points.
Congratulations, JA band!
