The Marching Eagles are Soaring

Being a musician is a full time job, just like being an athlete. It takes dedication, hard work, and practice to successfully thrive as a musician. Just one of the many aspects I love about being a musician is being a part of the Dunlap High School "Marching Eagles". From July until the end of October, marching band consumes my life (in the best way possible). From long, three hour rehearsals Tuesday nights and getting home at midnight from Saturday competitions, it definitely takes dedication. Through all of the yelling from directors, endless reps and practice, and stressful moments, there is nothing else in the world I would rather dedicate a majority of my time to. Marching band is my passion; as a musician, it helps me to grow.

The 2017 Marching Eagles have an amazing show this year. Our program, titled "Cirque Noir" is a thrilling roller coaster of emotions, leaving you on the edge of your seat, itching to see and hear what happens next with the controlling ring master and her possession of the band. However, what you see on the field during performance and what you see on the field during practice is an entirely different roller coaster.

Something you may be wondering is just HOW does a marching band get their show on a field? It starts with band camp; seven in the morning to five at night for five, intense days. We start with marching fundamentals: proper foot technique, proper leg technique, upper body posture, and the correct step size for ideal marching across the field. Just as a swimmer has to learn the correct technique for their butterfly stroke, a marcher has to learn the proper marching technique.

The catch is this: every single member has to be executing the same technique at all times, which is a lot harder than it sounds. Also during band camp, there comes memorizing music and drill. Marching drill is all of the formations the band executes on the field. Every band member obtains a book of sets, similar to a set of coordinates, that they march on the field. Doing this requires lots of patience, hard work, and repetitive practice. Every set has a number of counts, and when all of the sets are put together, they create a movement. Adding tempo, time signatures, body movements and more, band camp ends with most of the show marched and memorized. With much practice and cleaning, the show is ready to be preformed for competition.

To a spectator or student at a football game, the marching band is just the marching band. They play at half time and they play in the homecoming parade. To everyone involved in marching band, it is so much more. To me, it is a passion. There is something special about marching band. There is a connection you feel across the field, marching and playing with every member. Everyone has put in the hard work and practice to put the show on the field. Every Tuesday night rehearsal, every second spent rehearsing during class, every moment practicing at home, every time we preform, we realize that everything was worth it. The bond that we all share together is inseparable; we have all sacrificed something to make marching band worth it.

As the drum major, or conductor of the band, my perspective is somewhat different than those on the field. I get to see and listen with a different view. However, I am not separated. In fact, my connection with everyone else on the field is in some ways stronger. There is a definite communication that occurs between us.

All of these different aspects of marching band are what make it so worthwhile. The past four years I have been a part of the Marching Eagles, I have made countless memories that will live with me forever. I feel so grateful to be a part of such an amazing program with so many amazing instructors, performers, and musicians.

So far this season, the Marching Eagles have taken home some quality hardware, including a first place in our class at Washington and second place in our class at Morton. This Saturday at Limestone, we will be expecting more hardware to display in the band room. The Marching Eagles will continue to work hard, practice, and soar above other people's perspective of what a marching band is. It is not just an activity. It is a life-changing and cultivating experience, helping students grow and develop life skills, and it creates memories students will hold onto for the rest of their lives.