Jared Vanvickle, head band director at Norman North High School is making changes in his second year running the program. This year North is not only sporting a new head director but new uniforms, more staff, and new props in addition to the newly completed band room.

This year the band is receiving new uniforms, along with colorful new props. Prior to 2015, the band had not received a new uniform since it was formed in 1997.

“So we have a winter guard now, whereas in the past we used to not have a winter guard. We have a second jazz band that meets every day during school, and that’s a new thing compared to the historical trends” said Vanvikle. 

The band will also be competing with the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association. This means the band will be competing at a higher skill level with bands they’ve never encountered before. 

New staffers; Preston Ratliff, Kesli Campbell, Bekki Venk, and Emily Perkins,  have also recently been added to the Norman North Band program. 

These staff members each have a key purpose in the band’s success. 

Ratliff and Campbell will direct percussion. Venk will be the director of visual effects and will work primarily with Perkins on the color guard. Perkins will also assist with dance technique.  

New props this year include a metal stage and new backdrops. The metal stage will be used for solos and the backdrops will be used for visual effects. 

These new editions join the newly constructed band room that was completed in 2022. The band will compete in their first competition next Saturday at the Moore Outdoor Music Festival.