In the many years that the Wylie Pure Gold Band has been in existence, never have they faced as many challenges as they will this upcoming season.

As Covid-19 spread throughout the country this past spring/summer, many bands across the country cancelled their summer rehearsals and in some cases, their entire marching seasons out of fear of the virus. However, Wylie band director Michelle Lessing made the decision to keep summer band going as planned. “We wanted to get the band out on the field as soon as we could and as safely as we could,” Lessing said. “We did a lot of talking across the city, and it ended up being a district decision. We wanted to get the band out on the field in at least some capacity.” Although the band was still rehearsing, many changes were made to keep the students safe. Each practice was split up between the woodwind and brass sections to minimize the amount of students at rehearsal. Masks were required to be worn when not playing, and the band made sure to remain socially distant. Despite these changes, Lessing says that she is proud of the band’s determination. “I wish the city could have seen the students during the summer. They were out in the heat, but they still wore their masks the whole time. They set the bar high, and I was very impressed.”

These were not the only changes that the Pure Gold encountered. After last year’s marching season, two out of the three drum majors graduated, leaving two new spots that would have to be filled by the start of the next season. After months of hard work and preparation, Mark Huffines (Sr.) and Kyal Corbett (Jr.) were selected as the new assistant drum majors for the Wylie Pure Gold Band. Emma Lowry (Sr.) was the pick for head drum major for the 2020-21 marching season. This will be her third year as a drum major. Says Ms. Lessing of the changes, “I think the changes are good. I love the vibe that the new leaders are building out here even though this year we haven’t been doing things the usual way.”

The title of the Pure Gold’s marching show this year is titled “Happiness Is”. Lessing says that the goal for this year’s show is to spread joy on and off the field. “You can’t be happy all time,” Lessing says. “However, we can find a little bit of light and joy in ourselves, then we can start to share that with others.”

It is clear that this will not be an ordinary season for the Wylie Pure Gold Band. However, despite the many challenges, the band will certainly become a welcome light in the community this school year.