This year, for the first time ever, Bloomingdale High School’s Rajun’ Bull Band and Newsome High School’s Wolfpack Marching Band will play together on the field at the same time, as a combined unit. The performance will take place during the halftime show of the Bloomingdale-Newsome football game on Friday, August 23.
The Rhythm Rally competition is a fundraising campaign that runs from now to Saturday, August 31. The band that receives the most donations wins a trophy that will be presented by the opposing band’s band director and bragging rights for the year. The real winners, of course, are both band programs.
Newsome and Bloomingdale band directors John Davis and Jordan Fraze, respectively, hope that the competition will lead to more opportunities to join forces and create a tighter band community across the rivalry schools.
“Despite it being a rivalry, the real winners here are both bands. Not only because we both will hopefully meet or exceed our fundraising goals, but also because we are doing this in friendly competition and will use this event to bring both of our bands together,” Davis said.
“I believe that this friendly competition can bring the communities together to support a cause as great as music in our schools. What is a better way to bring communities together than music?” Fraze said.
Combined, the bands will have 265 students on the field (150 Bloomingdale students and 115 Newsome students). They will join in formation and play a marching band stand tune called “Land of a Thousand Dances.” The students learn the song at the Gebhardt Leadership Clinic, sponsored by the Hillsborough County Secondary Music Council, every June. The traditional halftime drills (shows) will be presented after the football game.
Bloomingdale and Newsome bands would love the community’s support and participation in the Rhythm Rally competition. Donations go through a company called Pledge, which gives the programs 100 percent of the donations. Pledge takes all forms of electronic payment on the site supporters get directed to after texting to 707070.
To support the Bloomingdale Band, text BULLSRALLY to 707070.
To support the Newsome Band, text NEWSOMEBAND to 707070.
For more information, contact Fraze at jordan.fraze@hcps.net or Davis at john.davis@hcps.net.
