Banding together
August came alive with the gleam of reflected sunlight on polished brass and the steady cadence of a disciplined band on the march. For hundreds of high school students in Washington and Greene counties, summer band camp is a yearly tradition that helps mold young students into an tuned-up marching machine.
“I consider our school year to start when band camp starts,” said JohnPaul Gaston, trumpet section leader for the Canon-McMillan High School marching band.
For rehearsing band students, mild summer weather this year meant relief for the students drilling away their August afternoons.
In past summers, “it gets, sometimes, really hot,” said Josie Thal, section leader of flutes and piccolos in the Canon-Mac band. “Sometimes people just pass out from the heat.”
Despite the mild temperatures, first-year Trinity band member Matthew Richmond said band camp was no walk in the park.
“It’s really difficult just starting off,” Richmond said. “I am admitting that I was not in shape at all. And this is probably the most vigorous exercise I’ve ever done…
“Combining the two separate things, which require two separate parts to work simultaneously, is probably the most difficult thing anyone could do.”
Conductors have about a month to turn the horde of ambling, instrument-wielding students into a polished army of synchronized musicians. Band members are expected not only to learn how to play the songs, but to march in formation while doing it.
“Probably one of the hardest parts is actually taking the music and moving to it,” said David Yencsik, head drum major for the Trinity High School marching band. “Moving is fine on its own, playing is fine on its own – but for some reason putting the two together – something goes wrong.
“That’s probably the hardest aspect, physically.”
The bonds forged at band camp often last for years. Thal said her band connections were particularly helpful during the first day of high school during her freshman year.
“On my first day, I was so nervous,” Thal said. “Then I got to first period – band – and you already know everybody. You know all the seniors and you know what goes on every single day.
“I don’t know, it just made you feel like you belong somewhere.”
Most bands stick to their high school or middle school fields for their intensive practice sessions, but some choose to travel. The students at Peters Township High School spent a week at California University of Pennsylvania, along with marching bands from all over the Western Pennsylvania area.
Piccolo player Sarafina Strangis said time spent sleeping in the dorms gave players the opportunity to bond.
“While we’re at Cal U., the leadership and seniors leave letters for all the students with little words of encouragement and gifts and things like that every night,” Strangis said. “So when they wake up they see all this candy and letters.”
“It’s the best thing that ever happened,” added Peters drum major Rebecca Brott.
Band camp is full of these types of special rituals and traditions. But few outsiders are able break into the inner sanctum of these secret societies.
“You’re honestly sworn to secrecy,” Strangis said. “Like, you can’t say anything.”
High school marching bands and football teams have a tenuous relationship, each with a special place beneath the bright Friday-night lights and each believing they’re the main event.
“Friday nights are always our football games,” Yencsik,said. “It’s really cool because you only have one chance to do it and everyone’s on their A-game about it.”
Jake Reardon is a young man who knows this dynamic all too well. The 15-year-old sophomore is both a drummer in the Peters Township marching band and a guard and defensive tackle for the Indians football team. Being an active member of both means Reardon does a lot of juggling.
Game day will be no different.
At halftime, he’ll have to take off his shoulder pads and helmet and throw on a marching jacket before re-taking the field as part of the band.
“I think it would be easier just to do one,” Reardon said. “But, I don’t know, I really like both, you know? I love football, and I love playing in the band and playing drums, so I really like to be able to do both.”
The two activities take up a lot of Reardon’s time. Summer football training runs intermittently all summer long. From the beginning of band camp in late July, right until the beginning of classes a month later, he spends almost all of his time in one camp or another.
“I think it adds to” my summer, Reardon said. “From today, basically until the summer is over I’ll be busy with marching band and football. But I think it adds to it because I really love to do both of them.”