McKenzie Marching Rebels Wrap Camp with Preview Performance

McKENZIE (July 23) — The McKenzie High School Marching Rebels completed their annual two-week camp Thursday in preparation for the upcoming football and competitive marching seasons. The band previewed their 2026 field show, "Awakening," with an evening performance in the gymnasium for parents and the community.

Daniel Capua, entering his third year as Director of Bands, spoke to The Banner about the band, the show and the community.

"Awakening" features three movements, including arrangements of "Uninvited" by Alanis Morissette, "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen and "Nimrod" by Edward Elgar.

Capua said the theme of the show is moving from darkness to light. He called it "abstract" and said, "It can mean whatever you want it to mean."

The visual elements are meant to emulate a lava lamp and evoke the emotional ups and downs of life.

The Marching Rebels are bigger than last year with 44 performers and one manager.

There are eight seniors, split evenly between the band and the color guard, with few sophomores and juniors. More than half of the band is eighth and ninth graders.

Capua said, "We have a lot of really good leaders in the junior and senior class, and I wanted the eighth graders to experience that."

The leadership team of the band includes field commander Meghan Cowan, woodwind leader Janyla Piro, low brass leader Ozzy Lessenberry, high brass leader Lola Barton, percussion leaders Jonathan Jenkins and Caleb Burns and color guard leader Jaylee Montgomery.

Staff for the camp were guard instructor Kendra Cole, percussion instructor Conner Callahan, brass instructor Makayla Shell and woodwind instructor Clara Capua.

During the first week of camp, band members practiced a lot of marching fundamentals. Capua said, "If you don't have the foundations, it's going to be hard to put everything else together."

In the second week, they began working on drill (the movement and formations seen on the field).

The head index hampered the outdoor schedule for the first part of the week, but a reprieve on Wednesday and Thursday let the band progress.

Capua lamented that they had not gotten as much accomplished as he had hoped, but he was hopeful they would have the first song on the field for the first football game on Friday, August 21 at Huntingdon.

The Marching Rebels begin their competition season with the Pete Evans Showcase in Milan on Saturday, August 29, which serves as a sort of "scrimmage" for bands to perform in front of judges and get good feedback.

McKenzie will attend competitions at South Gibson, Union City, Huntingdon and Camden before concluding the season at the Tennessee Division I State Marching Band Championship on Saturday, November 7 at Independence High School in Thompson's Station.

Capua shared his feelings on his time in McKenzie so far. "The first word that comes to mind is proud. Proud of the progress the students have made. Proud of the growth that this program has seen in recent years. It's not just me, it's the kids that want it. They see my vision and they're bought in. They want it as bad as I do.

"I'm excited. I love McKenzie. The community's great. The administration is so supportive of everything I'm trying to do here. I literally don't have any complaints. It's a great community, and I'm excited for the future of band here."