Angela Islas beats a drum for the Selma High marching band, and she's ready to sound off at the 45th Selma Rotary Marching Band Festival on Oct. 31. The downtown parade starts at 9 a.m. with retired educator Jennifer Staley Earle of Selma serving as grand marshal. Field show competition follows at Staley Stadium beginning at 1:30 p.m. -- and Islas is eager to perform there. She was sidelined by a leg injury earlier this fall, and was frustrated. "Believe me, those moments of just watching my band were -- how shall I say? -- real melancholic," she said. Islas is one of 41 musicians and 16 color guard members in this year's band. Some are loud like the trumpets; others are quieter like the flutes and clarinets. Many have found a place to belong in the band. Some love the competitions; others get nervous.

Islas, a senior, is one who loves the field competitions. "It's the band and the field and that's all there is. We're there to sell our product. The show is our product, and we're selling it to the audience and the judges, not just performing it."

Selma's band will be one of 33 middle and high school bands competing in the festival, sponsored by the Selma Rotary Club. Selma band director Kevin Tinkle said the festival is important to his musicians and color guard.

"We need to have a good show for the community," he said. "It's an opportunity to show Selma what we can do and the community can grab that and hang their hat on us."

The band performs as a unit, but its individual members include:

l Senior trumpeter Chris Aguirre. "We always want to be the best because we play the loudest," he said of the brass section. Chris will be sad when his final marching band season ends this fall, but he focuses instead on performing with people he likes. "It's one big family," he said of the band. "We all love each other."

l Sophomore color guard member Samantha Armstrong. She gets butterflies before performing, but once the marching and music starts -- and she knows the band and color guard are doing well -- it's the best feeling, she said.

l Senior sousaphone player Andy Cortes. He started out as a flute player, inspired by Robert Grindel, his music teacher at Garfield Elementary who played the flute. "I wanted to be just like that," Andy said. Grindle gave Andy his flute when Andy started high school. "It was a great honor for me," he said. He later started playing the sousaphone and bass drum.

"Band kept me on the right track," Andy said. "Instead of doing bad stuff on weekends, I was at band practice."

l Sophomore drummer Estevan Sanchez. Being in the band gives him a group to identify with, he said: "I feel more comfortable in school, and because of the communication here, it's easier to talk to people in other classes."

l Junior drum major Jessica Delgado. This is her first year leading the band in parades and directing it during field shows. "I want to pull music out of the band, and I thought I was the one for the responsibility," she said.

Jessica has plenty of other responsibilities. She's on Selma High's Academic Decathlon team, tutors trumpeters at Abraham Lincoln Middle School and helps with middle schoolers at her church, First Baptist.

Jessica said she tries to set a good example for band members without coming across as a teacher.

l Junior color guard member Debra Lechuga. She and the others devote a lot of time to the band; members practice one period each day and also on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings in the fall. They also attend many Saturday competitions in October and November.

The Selma competition matters a lot, Debra said: "It's our show. We want to do our best because we're representing our city and our school."

l Freshman drummer Donte McDaniel. Putting drumsticks to drumheads is an artistic expression, he said: "You can transfer your feelings through your dynamic and technique." It's all about the beat. Something fast communicates power, Donte said. A slower tune can bring out emotion.

l Junior drummer Jaylene Cirkl. There's nothing complicated about her reasons for liking the band. "It's something to do, and it's just fun," she said. However, making music offers more than a good time, Jaylene added: "It opens up your mind to new things and makes you think of abstracts that are outside of the box. As band kids, we think art is as big as athletics and cheerleading."

l Freshman clarinetist Matty Hernandez. She said she's quiet and the band has helped her make new friends and become more outgoing. "It helps me be more confident," Matty said. It's also helped with her posture. "You have to stand up straight," she said with a shy smile.

l Freshman color guard member Jennifer Maldonado. "I know I'm part of something," she said simply.

This Saturday, that something will be the annual event that brings out hundreds of people for the parade and field competition. "We encourage everyone to come out. It's a great day," said Char Tucker, chairwoman of this year's festival.

To get ready for the festival, the Selma band put in some extra practice. "Doing OK is not good enough," Tinkle told his musicians. "This is a team effort and we need people on the team all the time."

Angela Islas -- the drummer who was hurt but can perform again -- is up for that.

"I'm busting my butt right now," Angela said. "I will get it. I will be able to march and do all those movements really well. When I do, I will feel very triumphant and probably luminous."