WESTBROOK — Standing in the music department at Westbrook High School on Friday morning, alto saxophone hanging from a strap around her neck, freshman Amy Richardson discussed her delight at being a member of the marching band.
''I've wanted to do it since fifth grade,'' she said. ''My sister will be a freshman when I'm a senior and she wants to be in it too.''
The enthusiasm of younger musicians like Richardson has helped resurrect the Westbrook High School marching band, which last year had its season cancelled because of declining enrollment. This year, 20 students signed up to play in the band, and another 10 joined the color guard.
''It's not great numbers, but we felt we should move forward and do it for the kids,'' said Phil Rich, the director of music for the Westbrook School Department.
The band and color guard began practice Wednesday, a day after administrators decided to go ahead with the program. Just a few weeks earlier, the music department did not have enough interested students and considered canceling marching band for the second consecutive year, Principal Marc Gousse said.
But on Aug. 14, about 30 kids showed up for band camp and school administrators met to reconsider. Sue Quinlan's daughter Diana, a junior, and her freshman son Darryl were among those kids.
''If there is no marching program, funding gets cut and then the program disappears,'' Quinlan said. ''These kids really love the music.''
Diana Quinlan, a member of the color guard, was among eight other Westbrook students who joined the Old Orchard Beach High School marching band last year.
''It was really important for them,'' Sue Quinlan said.
The band will not function as it did during its heyday in the 1980s and 1990s. Rehearsal time has been cut back to about 10 hours a week to allow the musicians time for other activities. There will be no competitions, and no trophies added to the bulging glass cases that line the walls of the music department.
The award-winning band made two serious transitions in recent years. In the past decade, under the direction of longtime band leader George Bookataub, Westbrook began competing in the New England Scholastic Band Association in addition to participating in Maine Band Directors Association meets.
The schedule was demanding, Rich said, with kids putting in more than 20 hours a week for practice.
The departure of Bookataub in 2004 was another major change to the program.
In 2003, the band had 90 members and played at the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix. After Bookataub's departure, under the direction of band leader Scott Trach, 33 students came out to play instruments for the 2004 season.
When the number dropped to 12 in 2005, Trach was forced to put the program on hold.
Kyle Smith, a South Portland marching band alumnus and former Biddeford High School marching band director, replaced Trach as band leader this summer. Smith acknowledged Friday that while 20 was not an ideal number for a marching band, he is optimistic the young musicians can pull it off.
''It's workable,'' he said. ''We didn't know if it was best for the kids but ultimately decided it was.''
The band is scheduled to march Sept. 16, when the school hosts the Maine Band Director Association's first show of the year.
For senior trumpet player Evan Chase, the transition from 90 members his first year to no band at all last year was disappointing. Although it's small, he is happy the school has its marching band back.
''You've got to start somewhere,'' he said. ''There's potential, but it's not where it needs to be this year.''
Rich, the music director, said he would like to see the marching band perform at football games again, and mentioned the possibility of the band playing at Homecoming this year.
Both he and Smith expect marching band participation could grow in the next couple years and point out student interest in the music program at the high school and the middle schools is thriving.
The school jazz band has won the Division 1 state title four of the last five years, including in 2006. There are 65 eighth-graders taking music this year and the high school band, which marches in parades, has 92 members.
For Richardson, the freshman alto saxophone player, it is important the school keep up a tradition she says is part of the history of her city.
''Westbrook has always been known for its marching band,'' she said. ''If we could bring it back that would be awesome.''
MAINEJOBS
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