Music engulfs the entire room as the brass section of the band practices for the pep rally, football game, and the upcoming State competition in San Antonio. Sophomore Kevin Tillotson stands, sousaphone ready, at his spot in the band hall. He stands at attention, with good posture and all, in his black tennis shoes, navy Nike basketball shorts with a white stripe down the side and his band shirt written in green letters “The Sound of Noise.”

“Playing the tuba takes a lot of air and massive lungs,” Tillotson said. “Practice is long, difficult, and worth it.”

As Mr. Fugett says rest, Tillotson takes the sousaphone, the marching version of the tuba, off his left shoulder and pulls it over his head, then lays it at a comfortable position on his right shoulder. When Mr. Fugett commands them to play, he quickly shifts the sousaphone back to the other shoulder and begins playing. Once again the sound of music fills the room. It’s so loud that the window panels on the band hall doors are shaking.

“When marching with a sousaphone, I wonder why I didn’t play the flute instead,” Tillotson said.

While playing, the band is instructed to move, imitating what they would do in competition or game. Mr. Fugett says the movements out loud, and then the band moves in response.

Practice lasts for at least another 15 minutes, then Mr. Fugett leaves the room to assist with another band. Instead of talking to friends and goofing around the remaining portion of class, Tillotson sits in his chair and practices a tuba solo.

“I don’t know why people feel they have to give a solo to a tuba,” Tillotson said. “It’s just me playing a bass line or two by myself.”

Leading up to State, a majority of the practices were directed towards the competition in San Antonio. When Mr. Fugett tells them to do something or to change something they listen and do what they are told.

“I felt happy that I got the chance to go to state, and enthralled that we did as well as we did,” Tillotson said.