H.M. King High School’s Mighty Brahma Marching Band performed at the University Interscholastic League state marching contest held at the Alamodome in San Antonio this past Tuesday.

The Brahma Band competed against Roma, Calallen, Edcouch-Elsa, Alice, Hays, Waxahachie, Legacy, Frenship, Brenham, Newman Smith, Friendswood, Del Valle, Boswell, LBJ, Poteet, Galena Park, Wakeland, Dripping Springs, Waller Dawson, Forney, Azle, Hendrickson, Southwest and Saginaw.

Though they did not make the finals, H.M. King’s music staff were happy with how the band left their best performance on the Alamodome field.

“By far they had their best show of the year, they peaked there at state marching contest which is the goal,” Assistant Band Director Porfirio Mendez said. “When you get to a venue like that you want your kids to peak and these guys did at the biggest contest.”

Marching bands are only allowed to audition for state every other year. H.M. King qualified this year but will not be eligible in the fall of 2010. This was the second consecutive time H.M. King has reached the state tier; they placed sixteenth while performing ‘Exodus’ in 2007. Mendez said the band office is already working on next time.

“We want to stretch the gamut a little bit again and start looking at a more modern type of show; we want to look at doing what a lot of the schools from up north are doing,” Mendez said. “Next year will be a training year and we are already in the works as this is an ongoing process because state marching contest is becoming a harder and harder venue to reach every year.”

H.M. King earned its state berth by placing third amongst 26 high schools at the Area G contest in Calallen two weekends ago.

Since summer practices began in August, H.M. King has rehearsed and performed ‘Visions and Dreams’ at numerous halftimes and precontests this season.

Working with Mendez this year are Head Band Director Rolando Molina, Ray Mendez, Mae-Trevino Mendez, Eli Lopez and Student Teacher Raul Reyes.

This year’s drum majors are Ariel Ramirez, Robert Guindangen and Samantha Cantu.

For the rest of this academic year, the music department shifts its focus to more indoor performances.

“As things wind down, we have one more halftime performance and then we pretty much start shifting into the concert venue,” Mendez said.

“There will be a few parades that we will do as a marching band but the competitive marching season is done. Basically we begin getting ready for our winter concert and then our U.I.L. concert and sight reading contest in late April or early May.”