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Even before school starts next week, the Golden Hawks Marching Band of Hazelwood Central High School is hard at work.

The band, led by Mark Thomas, has spent time this summer learning new music and new moves. The band, color guard and drum line have been involved in week-long camps and clinics for rehearsals to prepare for games and band competitions.

HCHS also hosted special guests, the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, from Denton, Tex. The corps spent the night at HCHS in sleeping bags in the gym, then rehearsed for hours outside before heading to McKendree University in Illinois for a competition.

Thomas explained that for HCHS, the official marching season begins September 1, the first home football game. The Hawks face DeSmet Jesuit High School at 1:00 p.m.

The Golden Hawks are scheduled to compete in three events in the fall – at the Wildcat Pride Marching Festival in Wright City on Sept. 22, the Bi-State Marching Invitational in Potosi on October 13, and the Pinckneyville Mardi Gras Field Show and Parade on October 27. The band will wear glow sticks because the show is in the dark.

In 2011, the band earned numerous awards at competitions, receiving first, second and third place in categories such as marching, drum line, guard, music, drum major and overall competition.

“My hope for 2012 is to be a competitive band as well as an entertaining ensemble,” said Thomas. “We are pushing the envelope this year as far as stepping out of our comfort zone. We are playing Celtic music and the band is playing a themed show.”

“The show title is “Leprechauns in da ‘Hood” and includes “Fantasia on the Dargason,” the “Sound of Philadelphia,” the theme song from Soul Train, “The Irish Washer Woman” and “Gary Owen.” The show is designed to show the band’s diversity,” he said.

Thomas explained how learning music impacts other areas of curriculum.

“We teach music using math, science and communication arts in our daily lessons. We use math as a teaching tool with rhythm and note values. We utilize science to show how the frequency of air makes the note louder or softer, in tune or out of tune. Communication arts are taught when students learn how to phrase music so that it sounds recognizable.

“Music is conversation, question and answer, sometimes loud and boisterous or soft and sweet. Teaching this way helps students learn to problem-solve and think on their feet,” he said. (story provided by Hazelwood Communications Dept.)