Carrollton student’s march debuts at spring concert

A new march composition honoring two former Carrollton Exempted Village School District superintendents debuted at the May 7 spring concert featuring the Carrollton High School Concert Band and Carrollton Middle School eighth-grade band.

The march — appropriately titled “The Bell-Herron March” — was written and composed by Paul Gomez, a trombone player and sophomore student at CHS.

The composition honors former school superintendents W.R. Bell (1912-47) and J. Wendell Herron (1947-63).

According to CHS Head Band Director David Dickerhoof, Gomez composed the entire score for the 65-piece concert band.

“I’ve always had an interest in music and the arts since a very young age, but my fifth-grade year began my involvement in the Carrollton band program. I started on trombone and immediately fell in love. Playing my instrument those mornings would always make my day.

“My seventh-grade year, my class was assigned a project in which we were to create a short piece, and this one assignment is what made me want to continue creating music. After that, I had worked with concepts and ideas, but my first full-length piece didn’t come to fruition until my freshman year of high school. By that point, I had decided that I wanted to pursue a career in music composition.

“In the summer that followed the concert in which my first piece premiered, Mr. Dickerhoof requested that I write a march for our band to play, and I was more than happy to do so.

“I wanted to dedicate this piece to Bell-Herron, as it would not only represent the wonderful student body that made up our band, or even our school, but rather the strong sense of community you can find here in Carrollton.

“The march is of a higher difficulty than some of the other pieces we performed, and that was intentional, as I know the capabilities of our players, and we can do so much to create a wonderful performance.

Gomez was among four CHS Concert Band students honored with plaques and certificates recognizing instrumental students who demonstrate outstanding musicianship, leadership and commitment to the music program at CHS.

Award recipients included Railey Macke, who received the annual John Philip Sousa Award; Miranda Snyder, recipient of the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award and a Director’s Award; Emma Arquilla, who also received a Director’s Award; and Paul Gomez, recipient of the David M. Myers Band Award.

Twenty-seven CHS band members received Carrollton Instrumental Accreditation Award plaques in recognition of their achievements. The award honors those who have met specific standards in performance, participation and dedication to the instrumental music program throughout the school year, according to Dickerhoof.

The recipients are shown in the accompanying photo with Director Dickerhoof and Assistant Director Lori Strader, who was recognized by Dickerhoof for her service at CHS upon her upcoming retirement after 43 years in music education, including 14 years at Carrollton High School.