Bloomingdale Yearbook

The most important performance of the Bloomingdale Rajun Bull Marching Band’s marching season was the FBA festival. The FBA festival was when all the marching bands of all the high schools in Florida came together on a Saturday and were graded by a panel of judges based on the accuracy of the band’s various formations on the field, and how the way the music was played versus the way it was supposed to be played. The band could earn a superior, excellent, good, fair, or a poor rating (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 in order of best to worst). Mr. Jon Sever’s marching ensemble had practiced for countless numbers of hours t0 perfect their Journey-inspired show, and it had all come down to this. It was now or never. After the final note on the closing song, the students waited impatiently to find out the rating they had received.

“I was praying the whole time,” said freshman baritone player Cameron Clark.

Then, the announcer finally said, ” Bloommingdale High School… SUPERIOR!”

The audience roared with approval. Mr. Jon Sever, the band clinician, later commented on how well the band had done.

“The band did very well,” he said.” Their [performance earned them] some of the highest marks they’ve gotten.”

Creating a sound on your instrument and making All-County Band are two completely different things. One any random person could accomplish, and the other took skill and lots of practice. The large band consisting of all the best players in the county was not for the lazy or weak at heart, so there was no time like the present for the students that wanted to do All-County to start rehearsing the audition music. 

Some of the freshman band students had experienced All-County in the past during middle school, and had gotten such a wonderful time out of it that they were eager to do it again, including Morgan Morrow.

“I want to do All-County because I want to experience what I experienced last year,” she said.

The audition music included lots of notes and rhythms to be played, however freshman French horn playerMarc Cohen wasn’t fazed by it.

“The [music] has a wide range of notes, but it should be easy,” he said.

The band students that made All-County were sure to have a blast, while at the same time learning more and more about the art of music.

The band and choral organizations got another early jump at raising some green paper for the trip to London, England in 2011, fourteen months away by selling certificates redeemable for a free pie from any Village Inn restaraunt in America. And the best part? The certificates never expired! The band and chorus students, wise to start on any fundraiser early, began selling immediately. Whether it be French silk, cherry, apple, key lime, pecan, or the simple yet traditional pumpkin pie, no one could resist bringing a delicious dessert home for the Thanksgiving feast, especially after hearing it would support a Bloomingdale music student.

Morgan Morrow, a freshman band student, was eager to start selling the pies.

“I want to sell 100 so I can pay off my trip to London,” she said.

Mr. Anton Donchev, the band intern, also had a thought to share about the fundraiser.

“It will go as well as the [students] want it to. If they don’t want to go to London then they won’t reap any rewards,” said Donchev. ”It will take lots of hard work to get there.”

What sounded better than rich, creamy cheesecake after a hard day, especially when the money was helping a music department student go on the trip of a lifetime to London, England? This is how the many teachers, students, and parents felt after purchasing baked goods for the music fund raiser. 

The campaign supported the Bloomingdale music organization’s two trips to the United Kingdom and Orlando. Each item on the catalogue, when bought, gave each student about 3 dollars towards their expeditions. The students selling the many delicious foods for scholarships were very ambitious about the fund raiser.

“I sold about 35 [items] so far, and I hope to sell 50,” said band freshman Marc Cohen.

Not only are the students pumped for the fundraiser, but the music directors are as well. Mr. Jon Sever, the clinician for the Bloomindale band thinks the program will take off.

“[The fundraiser] should go very well. We usually do great with this fundraiser because the food is good,” Mr. Sever said.

To purchase baked goods for the fund raiser, see any music student or director, by September 11.

This semester there is a new band intern, a senior from FSU his name is Mr. Anton Donchev. This is the last part of his training to become a Band Director, before he graduates in December.

 He first started to play the piano when he was 5 years old, when he got older he decided to play trumpet as well.

When asked, how has music changed your life?  He replied “ I’m blessed to have the experience to see the world and travel Europe. As well as being able to share what he loves (music) with us and hopefully others.”

Mr. Donchev is a very talented musician and band teacher. “He’s only been here a little while and he’s already made me a better player” Freshmen Jordan Antunano said.

Donchev, teaches us breathing excercises that makes able to hold our breaths for long periods of time while we play our insruments.