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Marching band prepares for season
For students at Grand Island Senior High, school doesn't start for another week, but some students are already back in the classroom.
The school's marching band gearing up for another season. "People hear, oh yeah, we're going inside or we're spending the rest of the day inside and the whole room goes, yay," said senior Drum Major Katrina Molholm. For the 165 members of the 2010 Grand Island Senior High Marching Band, practicing inside in the air conditiong is a treat. "We were outside for seven hours Tuesday," said GISH Band Director Louie Eckhardt. "It's just really stepped up, as far as discipline goes. It's just way over the top this year," said Luke Friesen. "They wouldn't be a good marching band if they didn't have discipline, so we really kicked that up," said Eckhardt. This year it's all about fundamentals for the GISH Marching Band. They're practicing perfect playing and perfect marching. "We held them at attention yesterday for 17 minutes. They didn't move, they didn't talk, and their instruments were up," said Eckhardt. There's no big trip for these kids this year, but there are four marching competitions, and they're all pretty intense. That's why Eckhardt is stressing conditioning: "You know, the instruments weigh three pounds but when you hold them in front of you they get to be very heavy." "As the week goes on the stress level goes down, but I think the first few days it was like, wow," said Molholm. If it seems like a lot of work for a marching band, think again. For this band director and these kids, it's all worth it. They say if you want to be the best, you have to practice the best. "It's the tiny little details that make the biggest difference," said Friesen. Eckhardt says it's why spending time inside during the weeklong band camp is just as important as time spent out on the field. "You know, we have people in marching band who are great marchers and weak players and they contribute; and, we have people who are weak marchers and great players and they contribute, too," said Eckhardt. For those students, the band room is where they shine. "We're doing a great ballad by Igor Stravinski," said Eckhardt. "It was transposed into marching band arrangement," said Friesen."The way it's written it's simply written, but the way it's put together it's really impactful and cool." "The music's very high energy and very aggressive," added Eckhardt. Just like this band camps been all week, and just like the band will be all season. --The band's first performance this year will be at the Nebraska State Fair. --They're scheduled to perform Wednesday, September 1st. |
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