Long Hours and Tall Trophies; Inside OHS Band
On a typical school day, the average OHS student might linger outside of the bathroom for a little longer than necessary to listen to the echoes of band practice in the empty hallways. The faint scales and melodies are usually just an afterthought in the mind of a busy student, but the OHS band is one of the most united, hard-working groups of people at this school. I sat down with a few band members to find out what they want outsiders to understand, and to gain some insight on their halftime show, which can be quite the mystery to onlookers.
The attendees of this year’s OHS football games have probably been impressed as well as perplexed with the marching band’s halftime show. The performers play their painstakingly-practiced pieces passionately, but the inexplicably dark undertones of the story they tell has left some audience members scratching their heads.
According to Ashlyn Dubé, a percussionist in the OHS marching band, “The marching band’s show theme changes every year, and this year our theme is about depressed artists who took their own lives, so that may be why some people describe the halftime shows as ‘creepy.’ We’re still missing the props and some voice overs, which are very important to the concept of the show, so that is probably why our concept is not very clear right now.” Dubé confirmed that the halftime performance will be refined significantly over the course of the year.
“Personally, I just want people to recognize the countless hours spent at practices throughout summer break and the school year,” Dubé said, “A lot of people do not realize how much time, energy, and dedication is actually put into marching band.” Marching band meets from mid-July to late October on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays—band members have to show up to school even in the summer! Practices during both the summer and the school year can last until 8-o-clock at night, “…[preventing] members from doing homework, having a social life, sleeping, etc.,” Dubé said.
If being in marching band means sacrificing your free time, why is it something anyone would want to involve themselves in? Band members are rewarded for their hard work in two ways: they gain a tight familial relationship with their fellow members, and they win big trophies. Their most recent win at the MSBA Patriot Marching Invitational Contest allowed them to walk away with a trophy that’s over 6 feet tall, as they won best in their class as well as best overall. The pressure that these students are put under may not be ideal in the moment, but it provides them with a memorable high school experience and a groovy group photo with a monumental trophy.
