Galena Marching Band “Steps Off” Into New Season
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August 9, 2018
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Colby Stacey (Left) and Alexis McClain (right) begin warmups on the marimba as the rest of the band begins their physical warmups on the field.
It’s 8 a.m. on a hot July morning and while most students are in bed enjoying the summer out of school-students in the Pride of Galena High School Marching Band are on the practice field ready to begin a great season. Under the direction of Band Director Philip Thomas, the band began its first season of competitive field marching on July 16th with its first of week of music camp. Followed by a full week of on field and music rehearsal; Mr. Thomas says that students will complete more than 60 hours of ensemble rehearsal this summer-before the school year even starts. This is in preparation for a season of marching band competitions and festivals that will take place all over the state of Missouri that the band will play for this fall.
Drum Major Madeline Scott is excited to be a Junior in the Pride Band program at Galena High School. While not conducting on the drum major platform, she plays flute, but loves marching band. “I’m really looking forward to taking the band to competitions. I think it will excite the students and give them more ambition to be better. We can all use a more encouragement to get better.”
Jonathan Martin, an alumni of the band who works with the pride drumline and also wrote the Band’s fall show, spoke a little about what this step forward means to him. “While I was in High School at Galena, I didn’t have the ability to pursue marching band at this level and I think it’s absolutely amazing that the program is advancing forward with opportunities for its current students. We look up to many programs that are cultivating great musicians and just overall great students and one of the common threads running through all of them is a strong field program.” Martin said the decision to take this step was preceded by a lot of talk about many other smaller programs that have been successful in their fall marching band endeavors. “We’re not trying to be like anybody else- but only to advance our students and the activity forward,” said Martin
Cat Kelley, a senior in the band, was ecstatic to be taking this step in the program. “It’s really great to see field marching in our school and to see it being done well. It’s great for our students to see that they are capable of great things. Field marching is a lot of hard work and it takes more time and even more dedication than before,” says Kelley. “For instance, recently we’ve have to repaint our practice field at the beginning of each week, which takes time and also money, but it’s an investment in our students’ futures that is well worth it.” Kelley also mentioned that with this addition of the field program, students are more prepared for college marching band as well as professional drum corps, which puts them in line for more scholarship opportunities for college, as well as chances for students to pursue music at a higher level.
Follow the Pride of Galena HS Band on Instagram and Twitter at @GalenaMOBands to keep up with all the band’s endeavors throughout the year.
Drum Major Madeline Scott is excited to be a Junior in the Pride Band program at Galena High School. While not conducting on the drum major platform, she plays flute, but loves marching band. “I’m really looking forward to taking the band to competitions. I think it will excite the students and give them more ambition to be better. We can all use a more encouragement to get better.”
Jonathan Martin, an alumni of the band who works with the pride drumline and also wrote the Band’s fall show, spoke a little about what this step forward means to him. “While I was in High School at Galena, I didn’t have the ability to pursue marching band at this level and I think it’s absolutely amazing that the program is advancing forward with opportunities for its current students. We look up to many programs that are cultivating great musicians and just overall great students and one of the common threads running through all of them is a strong field program.” Martin said the decision to take this step was preceded by a lot of talk about many other smaller programs that have been successful in their fall marching band endeavors. “We’re not trying to be like anybody else- but only to advance our students and the activity forward,” said Martin
Cat Kelley, a senior in the band, was ecstatic to be taking this step in the program. “It’s really great to see field marching in our school and to see it being done well. It’s great for our students to see that they are capable of great things. Field marching is a lot of hard work and it takes more time and even more dedication than before,” says Kelley. “For instance, recently we’ve have to repaint our practice field at the beginning of each week, which takes time and also money, but it’s an investment in our students’ futures that is well worth it.” Kelley also mentioned that with this addition of the field program, students are more prepared for college marching band as well as professional drum corps, which puts them in line for more scholarship opportunities for college, as well as chances for students to pursue music at a higher level.
Follow the Pride of Galena HS Band on Instagram and Twitter at @GalenaMOBands to keep up with all the band’s endeavors throughout the year.