Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010
Forward March
Golden Regiment Marching Band gears up for another season
Emily Jarrett, Journal Staff
Julie Scheidegger, the Journal
Pulled from the ranks, senior Jimmie George, exhibits the correct marching form for his bandmates as the Golden Regiment Marching Band practices Wednesday afternoon in the Blue Springs High School parking lot.
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closeRight now, it’s about learning the fundamentals.
“We’re practicing a lot of standing, marching, holding an instrument and marching, things like that,” said Tim Allshouse, director of bands at Blue Springs High School. “Especially for the freshmen who have never done this before, there’s a lot of practice involved.”
But practice makes perfect and perfect is what the Golden Regiment Marching Band will strive for this year – in just a few months they will be marching in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. “Right now, honestly, we’re not focusing on the parade yet,” Allshouse said. “First things first – learning the basics.”
During an after school practice last week, the 250 or so marching band members were lined up in perfect rows in the high school’s parking lot, doing drills. One step, four steps, box formation, holding their instruments perfectly and keeping in time with their line. Over and over again they practiced, getting ready for the first home football game of the year.
“Going in this year, I knew it’d be a lot of work,” said freshman McKenna Parker. “But I don’t think I realized how much dedication would be involved too.”
Instead of enjoying their last month of summer vacation hanging out with friends or laying poolside, the marching band students were practicing – for hours a day.
“These kids give up a good portion of their summer,” Allshouse said. “But it’s their choice to be here. Everyone always has a great attitude about it. I think because they realize it’s for the betterment of the group. If they mess up, they’re not just messing up, they’re effecting 250 other people too.”
“It’s worth it,” said senior color guard member Logan Felder. “You work so hard and practice for hours and hours but for those nine minutes or whatever, you’re floating on air.”
Senior drum major Alex Burns agreed.
“It’s an adrenalin rush, that’s for sure,” Burns said. “And in the end you know it’s worth all the work.”
This year, the band’s Nov. 7 showcase will be Moroccan-themed and highlights the colors and music of the African country.
“I was actually at Epcot with my family this summer and we walked through the Morocco area and I thought, ‘that’d be a great show idea,’” Allshouse said with a laugh. “It’s going to be a little more light-hearted than last year, a fun show.”
During the next few months, the band will also start practicing for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“The music for that will probably be about 25 percent old music, 75 percent new, but we haven’t figured out exactly what we’re doing yet, though it will most likely have a Kansas City essence to it,” Allshouse said. “We have to have our routine down by October so we can send a video of it to Macy’s. They have to get the rights to the music ahead of time so we’ll have to decide soon.”
Allshouse said the students will also be practicing their drill formations for the parade.
“Normally they have lines and hatches (in the turf) to tell them where their markers are,” he said. “But for the (Macy’s) parade, we’re going to be on a street, which is a lot narrower, so we’ll have to work hard to make it look perfect.”
“I’m pretty excited about Macy’s,” Burns said. “Most schools never get to go and we’ve been asked twice in five years. I think it really shows the amount of work we put into our shows.”
The band learned it was invited to the Macy’s parade nearly a year ago, and since then have been fundraising.
“There are 311 people going and all our instruments and luggage and everything else we’ll need,” Allshouse said. “It’s been a challenge to raise the money needed, especially in this economy, but the kids were great at doing everything they could to get the word out.”
Though Allshouse couldn’t give an exact number, he estimated hundreds of thousands has been raised so far, with another cookie dough sale scheduled for the upcoming weeks.
“It’s been a lot of hard work but I think everyone has the same thought of this being an amazing opportunity for the band,” he said.
In the meantime however, the students will keep practicing their formations and drills – they’ve got a show to put on.
To reach Journal reporter Emily Jarrett, call 816-282-7018 or e-mail ejarrett@bluespringsjournal.com.
