Marching Bands

This past weekend, the lovely and talented DebbieBuck & I began our yearly series of pilgrimages to various and sundry high school marching band competitions.  Our youngest son is a sophomore, and the section leader of the alto saxophones, a fact of which I am unabashedly proud.  Debbie & I have been band-parents for 7 years (our Eldest was also a sax player), and I will freely admit to getting all geeked up about it this time of year.  I myself participated in marching band in high school, one year as a trombone player, and three of the best autumns of my life as a percussionist (a drummer to you philistines who don't know the difference).

To fully comprehend how engrossing marching band can be, one has to have experienced it.  For those who have not, I can scarcely describe the thrill of competing in a marching band contest, the pride and espirit de corps of working together as a unit to produce a product that is both musically and visually pleasing.  It is not easy, it requires hours of practice on your insturment of choice to master the music, then more hours in the sun and wind and rain standing at attention and marching around a practice field learning each set until the movements become second nature.

It is at once a sport and art, physical and yet cerebral, beautiful but demanding.  And to a band member, halftimes at Friday night football games are mere dress rehersals for the real show on Saturdays, when bands rule the field and clash in a contest of musicianship, skill, and pride.  Every member must do his/her job, play every note, make every mark, or the whole band suffers.  Each person has their own unique role to fill that no one else can do.

The only thing that comes close to being in a marching band is to be a band parent. God love band parents: working in concession stands, moving the equipment, riding the "yellow dogs" across the state, these folks are what makes the band work. But standing in the stands on Saturdays and cheering as your children do their best on the field, that makes it worth the effort.

October is the Superbowl of marching band, and only high school bands compete against one another (with the exception of drum corps, but that's on a whole different level).  This month, is you find yourself with a Saturday free, I encourage you to go check out a high school marching band competition.  All-day admission is reasonable, and there's always plenty of good food on hand.  If you do go...don't be surprised if you find yourself cheering.  And if you are fortunate enough to see our band perform, I'll be the nut in the stands with the very large yellow banner.

BTW, in case you're curious: our son's band won Reserve Grand Champion (2nd place) in two contests in the same day.  Go Quistor band!!

Nolanbuck