How do you prepare for a performance?
Sophomore Scott Shepler: Before a performance, I eat and pack water so I don’t have to buy refreshments during the game.
Junior Chris Knapp: The real prep time comes during the summer because we have band camp. What we do is we march. We learn the show, and we have a bunch of fun activities. Then throughout the year, throughout the football games, we try and tighten that down as much as we physically can.
Senior Shelby Ping: For me, I never really do anything important before a performance. I start the day getting a good night’s rest. I make sure not to let my nerves get the best of me; that is the most detrimental part. I just take time and make the most of the day, show my school spirit and make it a great performance.
What’s the hardest part for you during performances?
Shepler: The hardest part is playing songs correctly and loudly towards the end of the game because my lips get tired towards the end of some of our songs.
Knapp: The hardest part for me personally is memorizing my music and making sure I’m on my spot every single time. It’s really hard to hit your spot every single time, and it’s one thing I work on a lot.
Ping: The hardest part for me is trying to keep the tempo steady. I am the drum major on the podium, meaning I am leading the band. If I do not keep a steady tempo throughout the performance, the band won’t know where they are supposed to be.
What is your favorite song to perform?
Shepler: My favorite song to perform has to be “Fireball.”
Knapp: My favorite song to perform at halftime is probably “Pump It.”
Ping: This year, I am not playing my instrument much, but I do enjoy listening to the band perform “Narco.” I love how the trumpets can overpower the whole band during this song. I also love how we added a little bit of choreo to the show at the beginning of the song. Even though it’s not much, I still love how tough it makes the trumpets look. It builds the suspense; the trumpets start out with nothing, and then come in powerful.
What is a fact that most people wouldn’t know about Band?
Shepler: A fun fact many wouldn’t know about the band is that they feed us some really good food at the school before marching performances.
Knapp: There’s a lot we do outside of school, which is not something you see a lot in classes. We have parades that we go to, and we have actual performances at McHale. Most classes, you say, “I’m going to go to class and then do my homework, and then I’m done.” But with band, it’s never-ending. You’re always doing something for it, and you’re always thinking of the band in some way.
Ping: Many people don’t realize how much the band actually does. The band plays at every home football game, and we try to play at every basketball game. Last year, we were able to attend many events outside of school, including the Shriners Parade, Veterans Day Parade, Walmart’s grand reopening, and our first-ever car show. The members of the band put in many hours of blood, sweat, tears, and even laughter, which many people don’t realize.
How do certain instrument roles differ? Which are most important to the overall performance?
Shepler: The different instruments put in an equal amount of effort; however, percussion doesn’t march during the show.
Knapp: It depends on the song, with music just in general. We have saxophones and clarinets or flutes on the melody. You can have tubas and the brass in the back and trumpets playing a countermelody. Somebody else is doing the harmony with the melody. In all actuality, no one instrument is better than any other instrument. It’s all about making sure that that instrument has its role and does what it’s supposed to do every single time.
Ping: I believe that the percussion has the most important role in the whole band. Between lugging all the equipment from point A to point B and making sure it is all there to keeping a steady tempo throughout every song, they are one of the more important sections.
What is your favorite band memory?
Shepler: I find the time someone forgot to wear a black dress shirt to the Jazz Cabaret and instead wore a white one, like we would for concert Band, to be one of the funniest moments.
Knapp: Last year, we won against Lewis Cass in basketball. I was in the stands playing. It’s amazing being in there because usually the band section outpowers the student section with their pep. It’s just fun watching my peers and people around me getting so excited. Like we’re all united through this one thing in music.
Ping: My favorite memory from band is from the New York City trip that we took two years ago. I met so many great people from that trip and found my new favorite place to visit. I love that band offers us these great opportunities to take vacations. This year, we are going to Disney over fall break.
