A long-standing Westbrook tradition will be silent this fall. Westbrook High School will not field a competitive marching band this year after only 12 students signed up for it.

While the band will still perform at community events and parades throughout the year, there were not enough students to field a marching band to travel to competitions in Maine during the fall season, said Scott Trach, Westbrook schools director of music.

Trach said he would need at least 24 to 30 students playing instruments to have a marching band. At the beginning of the year, he had a goal of 35 students playing in the band.

The competitive marching band is separate from the school’s concert band and wind ensemble. Those two bands will be performing as usual this year.

Historically, Westbrook has had a nationally renowned marching band. Under former Director George Bookataub, who retired at the end of the 2003-2004 school year, the band traveled to competitions and parades throughout the country, and won 12 state championships.

School officials said the number of students participating in the band over the years has declined. Approximately 30 students participated last year. Trach said the even lower number of students this year made it impossible for the school to field a marching band.

It’s unclear why interest in the band has dropped off. School officials and some boosters said students have a much busier schedule and no longer feel they have the time to devote to the marching band.

However, some parents place the blame on Trach, saying students have left the band because of his directing style. “I would say we’re a group very much divided,” Westbrook Music Booster Vice President Ann Russell said. “We thought from the day Scott started there’s been an undercurrent of negativity from several members, and they have their opinion.”

Principal Marc Gousse said the numbers for the marching band were declining even before Trach took over as music director. “I would submit it wouldn’t matter who was there,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s the kids who make the decision if this is something they are going to do.”

Sue Quinlan, whose daughter Diana was going to be in the color guard this year, said she has heard from students who said they left because of Trach. “When it comes down to his style of teaching, it just doesn’t seem to be working,” Quinlan said. “I’ve had many kids sitting in my kitchen saying they won’t go back to the marching band because of Scott. The kids are discouraged and frustrated.”

Quinlan said she has spoken to students who have told her Trach is inflexible and can be sarcastic and critical when dealing with the band.

One student, who Quinlan did not name, told Quinlan that she felt Trach was unapproachable. “One girl I spoke to on Saturday said (Trach) doesn’t even know her name and she’s been in the band a whole year with him,” she said.

At a meeting of the Westbrook Music Boosters last Thursday night, Trach told parents and students that he wants to hear from students, especially when they are having difficulties. “I don’t think I’ve had a closed door policy,” Trach said. “I’ve allowed folks to come in, and I’ve encouraged them to come and talk with me.”

Senior Spencer Carson, who was slated to be one of the band’s drum majors this fall, said while Trach’s style was different from Bookataub’s, he did not have a problem adapting to it. “There were different styles,” he said. “I found that Mr. Trach wanted to be hands on and be in most of the rehearsals, fixing problems and conducting us, and Mr. B would split up in a lot of different groups and we’d practice and then we would run it through as a group. It’s two different styles. I didn’t think it was that big of a change. I liked both styles. “

Gousse said he has not heard from any students or parents regarding problems with Trach. “Invariably, whether it be myself or somebody else, generally if there is a problem or concern, people will approach someone else. I have never had one student, staff member or parent approach me (regarding Trach),” Gousse said.

For his part, Trach acknowledged that he had a different style than Bookataub. He said some people used to doing things the old way might not have been happy with the change.

“I think the issue is that George had a particular style and many of the kids have known nothing but George,” Trach said. “So, in any situation where you have change, I think you are going to have some people, just by the nature of change, are going to say, ‘Boy, I don’t like this style.'”

Carson said he had not heard from any of his friends who have chosen to leave the band that they were leaving because of problems with Trach. He said it was because they had other conflicts leaving them pressed for time. “None of their excuses were that they didn’t like Mr. Trach,” he said.

After the meeting last Thursday night, members of both the marching band and the color guard said they were disappointed that they were not going to have the chance to compete this year, and urged Trach and the boosters to do what they could to keep the band alive in some form.

Senior Jon Bouffard said he thought it was important to encourage younger students so when they came to the high school they would be excited about being in the marching band. “I think we ought to go over to the junior high school so they can see how fun it is,” he said.

“I’ve been around this band since I was 9 years old. It’s very disappointing, but I think we need to put something together with the junior high school to get something going,” said sophomore Diana Quinlan.

Junior Michelle Labbe, said she was upset at the decision to not field a band, but she understood the reasoning. “I’m just really mad there’s not going to be a band this year,” Labbe said. “But I understand we can’t do it with that many people.”

Sophomore Allyson Hildreth said she is afraid if the band doesn’t compete this year, it will not come back next year. “I think if we don’t do anything, the band is gone, it’s not going to come back,” she said.

Sue Quinlan said she feels the marching band is suffering because the school would rather build up the rest of the music program. “It just seems like they are building other music programs at the expense of the marching band,” she said.

As for the boosters, Russell said the group is going to work to continue to support the school’s music program, and at the same time try to mend the rift within the group that has begun because of the decision to shut down the marching band this year. “Unfortunately, I don’t know what we’re going to do to bring that group together,” she said.

Due to a lack of students, Westbrook High School will not be fielding a competitive marching band this fall, disappointing students, parents and staff. Pictured (from left) Senior Drum Major Spencer Carson, Westbrook Music Boosters Vice President Ann Russell, Music Director Scott Trach and Music Teacher Phil Rich.