In the fall, the sounds of Fridays can be heard throughout the city. Touchdowns being scored, cheers from the rowdy crowds, and of course music from the high school marching bands.
Sounds Of The Game
From start to finish of a football game you’ll hear the band play their tunes. But the real show starts at halftime.
“The marching band is comprised of typical woodwind, brass, percussion, color guard, and your drum majors,” said Brandon Estes, the director of the Marching Redhawks. “It’s a little bit at a time pulling the pieces together to coordinate all the different efforts. It’s a fantastic process.”
What’s The Process Like?
Leading the halftime performances are senior drum majors, who are in charge of over 100 moving parts.
“A big thing about being a drum major is you have to be very focused on the center snare and his feet because the winds are listening to him,” said Marching Redhawks Drum Major Isra Umer. “He’s keeping time for us and we’re keeping time for him. It’s a big triangle of music.”
Prep work for halftime shows start months earlier, and tons of hours are put in the week of the game. But just before their performance they can get pretty amped up.
“At game time they have to get dressed into uniform and that’s when they get really excited. When they show up to put uniforms on there’s an energy level that goes up at that point,” said Glen Schneider, the director of the Marching Mustangs.
More Than Just The Band
And it’s not just instruments being played; members from the color guard are also a part of the performance.
The marching band’s mission is simple, to provide any support for the football team, so hopefully it’ll be paid back.
“We’re all cheering for each other. It’s such a community. We’re cheering them on and they’re cheering us on. Whether they win or lose, it’s just a win for us all,” said Marching Mustangs Drum Major Haley Hsu.
No matter the final score, the band will always make sure the game ends on a high note.
Naperville News 17’s Christian Canizal reports.
