The music never seems to stop playing in Kimberly Berrett's head, whether she's doing her homework or trying to fall asleep at night.
She's not alone.For Berrett and the other 279 members of the American Fork High School band, which will be performing in the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day, a soundtrack made up of trumpets, drums, trombones and flutes never goes away.
For them, being in band has long since become more than an extracurricular activity. It's become an all-encompassing part of their daily existence.
"Band is life; life is band," explained Berrett, who plays the flute. "It pretty much has taken over."
Sometimes during a math class, one band member will start humming a piece the band's been working on and others soon join in. "Then the whole class is humming one of our numbers," she said.
Over the past several months, this mobile symphony has raised money for its trip to Pasadena, Calif., participated in other parades, competitions and half-time shows, and perfected its routines. Band members spent one week of their summer vacation in an all-day band camp. They practice individually for 30 minutes every day and have put in 20 hours a week as a group for the last several months. By the time they board the bus for Southern California on Dec. 27, they will have marched about 300 miles in preparation for the Rose Bowl parade.
To condition themselves for the 51/2 mile parade route, the band has marched on occasion from the school to Pleasant Grove, escorted by the police to circumvent traffic lights, attracting bemused glances from onlookers. "We always stop traffic," said Berrett. "I always feel bad for all those cars waiting for us since I'm on the back row."
Students who make up the band hail from American Fork, Pleasant Grove, Alpine, Highland, Lehi, Cedar Hills, Lindon and Orem. Some attend Lone Peak High, which opened this year and split the school's population. But all represent the American Fork band and they have become quite close-knit over time.
"We're like one big family," said Megan Rasband, who plays the baritone. "Most of my friends are in the band."
And on Jan. 1, they will take the world stage in front of millions of viewers worldwide.
"It's kind of scary," said Rasband. "Everyone will be watching. If you make a mistake, everyone will know it. If we do it right, no one will notice."
But make no mistake about it, the chance to perform on New Year's Day is also a huge thrill. "When I was little I always got excited to see marching bands," said Berrett. "Now I'm a part of it, it's great. I can't wait."