Ouachita Parish High School Band

New Student Teacher

We will have a student teacher with us again this fall. His name is Brandon Wilder. Brandon is a trombone player. He went to high school at West Ouachita (we won't hold that against him). He is completing his Music Education degree at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. We can't wait for him to join us. He is fun, energetic, and knowledgeable. You are really going to like him.

2008 Ouachita Football Schedule

8/30/2008 JAMBOREE (ULM)

9/5/2008 Carroll (Away)

9/12/2008 Neville (Home)

9/19/2008 Airline (Away)

9/26/2008 West Monroe (Home)

10/3/2008 Southwood (Away)

10/10/2008 Ruston (Home)

10/17/2008 Natchitoches Central (Away)

10/24/2008 Captain Shreve (Home)

10/31/2008 Huntington (Away)

11/6/2008 Byrd (Home)

2008 - 2009 Color Guard

The 2008 - 2009 OPHS Color Guard: Havyn Berry, Katelyn Bradford, Cameron Caples, Banika Campbell, Jyesha Coleman, Tara Emanuel, Alicia Henderson, Kristina Karty, Mallory Keene, Emily Lovelady, Calyn Navarro, Brooke O'Bier, Elizabeth O'Bier, Remy Parish, Tamatha Powell, Jacea Robinson, Morgan Scott, Emily Smith, Princess Turner, Kaity Westcott, CeCe Whitfield, Krystal Williams, Kenisha Williams, Jasmine Williams. Color Guard officers are: Cameron Caples, Tara Emanuel, Emily Lovelady, Jasmine Williams, and Kristina Karty (in no particular order).

see our NSU performance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGNY0xbyEZc

Another Great Marching Season!

The Ouachita High School �Pride of Ouachita� Marching Band recently completed another successful marching season. The 2007 show was titled �Tales of the Gypsies�, and featured trumpet soloists Kim Taraba and Blake Richard, trombone soloist Alden DeWitt, and the percussion section. On October 20th, the Pride of Ouachita attended the Parkway High School Marching Competition in Bossier City, Louisiana. There they competed against both small class and large class bands from Louisiana and Texas. The Pride of Ouachita won the following awards in small class: Most Outstanding Music, Most Outstanding Marching, Most Outstanding General Effect, Most Outstanding Percussion, and Most Outstanding Band. The band received Superior ratings in every category, and placed third overall in all classes. October 27th brought the band to the Caldwell Parish for the Cotton Country Marching Competition. There, once again, the band earned Superior ratings in every category: drum major, percussion, colorguard, and overall band. They earned the titles of Best Percussion, Best Colorguard, and Best Band. Ultimately the band was named �Grand Champion� of the competition. The District I Louisiana Music Educators Association sponsored the next marching festival at ULM on October 30th. Of the nine bands competing, The Pride of Ouachita was one of only two bands receiving all Superior ratings in the categories of Percussion, Colorguard, Visual, Music, General Effect, and Overall Band. The last event of this marching season came at Northwestern State University Marching Contest in Natchitoches, LA, on November 3rd. Again, the Pride made us proud! Twenty- seven bands competed from Louisiana and Texas in four size classifications. The Pride earned Superior ratings for Drum Major, Colorguard, Percussion, and Band. Then, they were awarded �Best in Class I� for Drum Major, Colorguard, Percussion, Soloist, and Band. The Pride of Ouachita is under the field direction of Drum Major Jordan Hinton, Color Guard Captain Jennifer Korn, Color Guard Lieutenants April Crotwell and Emily Lovelady, and Drum Captains Jackson Knott and James Burns. The Pride of Ouachita is under the direction of Jon Lindsey, Nathan Randall, and Larry Lashley. Color Guard instructors are Whitney Futch, Rhonda McCaughlin, and Leeanna Simpson. Percussion instructors are John Pirkey, Daryl Wolgemuth, and Mikey Holdiness. Congratulations to all band members and staff. We are proud of your accomplishments and of all the hard work you put into every performance!

Band Signs

Band yard signs are available for $10.00. Show your pride in the Pride. Get one (or two, or three) today.

We have more available at this time...hurry and get one before they are sold out again.

--Submitted by Robert and Terry Kerry

Letters to the Band

Save for the Blockbuster halftime performance by Ouachita Parish High School's band Saturday, the gridiron match-up of Tulane vs. Tulsa on Saturday was almost a melancholy affair.

For the record, nomadic Tulane was the "home" team, if playing at Malone Stadium in Monroe can be called home for the Green Wave. It's not, of course. But home is where you hang your helmet, as Tulane has learned since Hurricane Katrina closed the New Orleans campus and sent its athletic teams scurrying to find accommodations with any friendly port in the storm...

In their halftime performance, the Ouachita High band members offered a tribute to New Orleans, an effort that gave the same crowd something to cheer about....

                                                      News-Star Editorial
                                                      "Best of luck to old Tulane"
                                                      November 21, 2005

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Mr. Randall + Mr. Lindsey + Pride of Ouachaita Band,

I never have the opportunity to view your halftime shows. I had an opportunity to see the show that took place at ULM last night on the Inside Ouachita Football program. Your program has it goin' on! Nice job.

Sicerely,

Coach Fenske

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Ouachita Parish High School Band:

Congratulations on your superior performance at District Marching Festival. You should be proud of this accomplishment. All of the extra hours you put into preparing your show really paid off. I know that your band directors, parents, and school are very proud of you for representing them in such a manner, and I'm proud that we have band programs of this caliber in the area. I trust that you will continue to pursue your musical endeavors striving always to maintain these high standards.

Yours truly,

Joey Culpepper

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Directors & Band,

It was a pleasure to watch you compete in the marching festival. You were truly deserving of your sweepstakes trophy and superior ratings. It made me proud to see that you value superior ratings, as did those of us who came before you. Keep up the good work!

Pollye Tillman

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Dear Jon:

             I am a 1966 graduate of OPHS and a former member of the band. In fact, I was a member of the band in the early sixties when we were honered to represent the State of Louisiana at the inauguration of President Lyndon Johnson. Oh, what memories.

            This past Friday, I attended the Ouachita-Ruston football game, the first time I have been to a home game in years. Much to my enjoyment, I listened and watched my old band march, perform and participate in the game. While many things have changted with the appearance and decorum of the band since I was a member, I was very much impressed with sound, professionalism and show the band put on. I was proud to be a band alumni. Please pass on to your members my crongratulations for an outstanding performance at the game, both on the field and in the stands.

                                                                                           Very truly yours,
                                                                                           Kirby O. Price
                                                                                           Class of 1966

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Dear OPHS Band,

I am dropping a line to say that I was totally in awe after your performance at the District One Festival. Your marching was perfect at times. Your playing was great. And your show ideas were the best I have ever seen.

I have been coming to this festival for the past 15 or 16 years (since I graduated from high school). I can tell you that your show was the most innovative thing that I have ever seen--ever.

I know that the kids are excited to be a part of something so wonderful. Tell them to keep up the hard work. I can not wait to see what you have in store for next year!!!!!

Sincerely,

John Barnes

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Meet the OPHS Staff

Jon Lindsey is the Co-Director of Bands at Ouachita Parish High School. He holds his Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; he is pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. Mr. Lindsey was Assistant Band Director at Nichols State University in Thibodaux, LA from 1993 until 1999. He was Assistant Band Director at the University of Louisiana at Monroe from 2000-2003. Currently he teaches at Ouachita Parish High School and Swartz Upper Elementary School.

Nathan Randall is the Co-Director of Bands at Ouachita Parish High School. He holds his Bachelors Degree and Masters degree from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Mr. Randall was Assistant Band Director at West Monroe High School in West Monroe, LA in 2003. Currently he teaches at Ouachita Parish High School and Lakeshore Elementary School.

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