What is Marching band?
Band is a place for people to express themselves musically. You can choose to play a brass, woodwind, or percussion instrument. You learn the instrument of your choice. Each band however might have a different routine or approach. In marching band, you perform music on the field while marching to create different formations. You have to memorize the music. The music is split into sections called movements. Each movement is a different section of the performance. For example, this year the performance is split into three different movements. Also for each movement each member gets a sheet called drill. The drill shows them where they are supposed to be on the field at a certain time in the movement. Marching band performances have a theme. This year’s theme is “If I Only Had A Heart” which is a “Wizard of Oz” inspired performance.
The marching band also coexists with the color guard. Color guard represents the music through dance, flags and weapons.
Band Camp
A couple weeks before the first day of school, Liberty has a two week band camp. The purpose of this is to help introduce the music, and help the new students learn what they need to do. They get to Liberty by 7 a.m. and leave at 3 p.m. The morning is all about setting drill and running music outside on the field. Around 12 p.m., the band comes inside for lunch. After lunch is music practice. This is inside and purely running the music. Practicing, and memorizing in their own sections. Sections are based on instrument type. Around 2: 15 p.m., all the sections meet together in the auditorium and practice music for the rest of the time.
Marching Band Morning Warm Up Routine
Liberty’s band members are on the field by 6: 30 a.m. Monday through Friday, during marching season. They start with some exercise type warm ups, such as stretching, or marching. “It gets you ready for the day,” junior Helayna Hobbs said.
They also do something called band body, which is like a dance routine. The purpose is to teach the band to move in time with each other. This also prepares them if they are to add visuals to their performance. They then get into what is called a block. This is a form in which they are in even rows sectioned by their instruments. They practice marching forwards, backwards, left and right and with a metronome.
Marching Band Practice
After the warm ups, the band gets into practicing music. The band runs through what parts of the movement the directors feel like needs to be cleaned up. This could be both musically and physically. The music could sound wrong, or people on the field could be in the wrong spot. This is tricky because there are about 80 kids in Liberty’s band and only 2 band directors. Musical rehearsal is on Wednesdays from 6 to 8:30 pm. This is extra band practice. However, percussion and guard have another extra practice Monday from 5 to 8. Also, percussion has to arrive at 5 on wednesdays.
Marching Band Purpose
The purpose of marching band is “Learning to be able to take the initiative, work together as a family, and be a part of something bigger than yourself.” “Marching band is your family,” freshman Brooklyn Donohue said. “No matter how dumb it sounds and whether or not you like it, these are some of the most important people in your life. We all have to be able to count on each other and no matter how much we fight, or say we hate each other, at the end of the day we are all connected as friends, teammates, and family.”
