The Huskies Band is Back on the March
The High School Band in September
by Reed Whittemore
On warm days in September the high school band
Is up with the birds and marches along our street,
Boom boom,
To a field where it goes boom boom until eight forty-five
When it marches, as in the old rhyme, back, boom boom,
To its study halls, leaving our street
Empty except for the leaves that descend to no drum
And lie still.
In September
A great many high school bands beat a great many drums,
And the silences after their partings are very deep.
Photo op: making sure the new Hoover marching band uniforms fit right.
For five or six years at least, nobody’s exactly sure, Hoover High School has gone without a marching band. Then a few short weeks ago Hoover suddenly found itself without any sort of a band director at all. DMPS Fine Arts Curriculum Coordinator Ryan Rowley saw an opportunity and seized it. Like Harold Hill came to River City in The Music Man, Rowley came to Hoover. Sort of.
HH was no musician. He was a con artist looking to strike up a phony band as a way of lining his pockets before skipping town. But RR has no ulterior motive as he begins the resurrection of a dormant program this fall.
Friday night the Husky marching band will take the field for the first time in however many – too many – years at Hoover’s homecoming game against undefeated Lincoln. And Rowley is loving his reassignment.
“I used to direct marching bands at Dallas Center/Grimes and East High,” he said as he escorted his drumline out to practice on a soggy Tuesday morning. “I love this!”
By the time he arrived the critical mass of a band was already holding its own summer band camp under the leadership of sophomore drum major Brigid Toothman. The expectation was that, as in recent years, they would show up at the home football games and assemble in front of the stands to play the anthem and the school fight song – in street clothes. But since Rowley showed up the plan has changed.
For one important thing, closets full of mothballed band uniforms were unlocked. Fittings have been going on during early morning practices.
“I feel so great right now,” said freshman flutist Abigail Moran to no one in particular after parent band booster Christina Heeren topped off her bright green and gold outfit with a white plume. She looked it too. And she’s not the only one. Freshman Jakeist Canty and sophomore Beja Williams were also all smiles suiting up.
“My oldest son graduated from Hoover without ever getting to do marching band,” said Heeren. “But I have two daughters who will this year (Lisa is a junior and Mindi is a freshman). We can’t wait for Friday night.”
Rowley said the first time he met with the band boosters to tell them he was bringing back marching band as part of the program they applauded.
“It’s about more than music,” he said. “It’s about community and school spirit and a fuller high school experience.”
The pump was primed for this. Although the short notice allowed for less recruits, 37, than there are uniforms, roughly half of them are freshmen and Rowley says reinforcements are on the way in the years to come from Meredith Middle School where almost 200 kids participate in band. There may not be 76 trombones this year but give Rowley time.
This season is just the beginning. Besides the National Anthem and the fight song, Friday night’s set will include Do Wa Diddy Diddy. Formations won’t be any more elaborate than a big block ‘H’. But by the time these freshmen are seniors Rowley expects to have them competing in the fall high school band festivals with a full choreographed set. For now they’re just spreading the word that the Husky band is back on the march. Besides Friday night’s debut at the homecoming game the band will do a quick turnaround to represent in the annual Beaverdale Fall Fest parade on Saturday morning.
At practice Tuesday there was a lot to go over.
“That sounds great! We need to get that sound while we’re marching!”
“The hips are the shock absorbers. Roll your feet!”
“Ten-hut! Parade rest!”
“With energy!”
Energy – that starts with ‘E’ and that rhymes with ‘C’ and that stands for cool.
