Gridiron Heroes: Sound the Trumpets
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MCALLEN – Before they perform, they have to warm up. Once they do, the sounds they produce can touch people in different ways.
That was the case Friday when a McAllen High School trumpet trio played the national anthem before the football game.
“It was really exciting,” said senior Max Ortiz. “I remember we were really nervous just standing there waiting to start playing, but once we started playing, we kind of forgot about it.”
“Takes a lot of practicing to get it how it sounds right now,” said sophomore Jesus Villegas. “It takes a lot of time to blend in.”
“I think typically they do one singer when they sing the national anthem,” said senior Andrew Morales. “I felt like what we did was very unique.”
The arrangement was put together by assistant band director David Moreno, who also works with the school’s mariachi group.
“I got the idea from Mariachi Sol de Mexico,” said Moreno. “They do the mariachi version, a trumpet trio. They had a little of a mariachi flavor to it. Vibrato and nice articulations.”
The McHi trio took Moreno’s music notes and brought them to life. It was their way of adding to the game day experience.
“It’s definitely a lot of fun,” said Ortiz. “I think my favorite part is getting to be in the stands with the rest of my section because we get to play music together and I think that’s really cool.”
The trumpet trio works long hours to make sure the music is just right.
“Usually practice whatever I need to practice, then go to band,” said Villegas. “I stay for two to three hours with marching band or if we don’t have marching band, we stay for mariachi.”
The practice is all worth it when the sweet sounds ring throughout the stadium.
“When we get to perform in front of people and we are really happy with how it turned out, we just feel really accomplished and proud that we can share this with other people,” said Morales.
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