BY OLIVIA SIMPSON

On Friday nights at half time we watch them. We watch them play their instruments with pride and as  as they march and dance. We watch them as they do something that they are incredibly passionate about. 

Most of us in the crowd don’t know what it is like to be a band member at Mariemont. And more interestingly, how the band itself, has evolved. 

Band director, Mr. Galloway, enters his third year of teaching at Mariemont. Before Galloway, Ms. Pontious, who was Mariemont’s 5th band director in a 10-year period. For context, some of the current seniors in band have worked with  four different directors. 

Each director has brought about change, but Mr. Galloway has in particular transformed the program. Before he came to Mariemont, the band wasn’t practicing outside of school. “The core of work happens during class and then we have 1 after school rehearsal each week,” said Galloway.

This has helped the band come together. Senior drum major, Kady Rasmussen said “The band feels more like a family.” 

But this after school practice has also allowed  students who are not in band class to participate. 

Izzy Heide, the baton twirler, who joined the band last year, is a favorite for most who watch the band performances. Senior, Shannon Renner describing Izzy’s twirling, said “I look forward to it.”

Each year has come with a new dance, which has always been a favorite for some. Renner said “the choreography really makes the performance”. 

Galloway has also created a theme for each year. He said, “Our first year [theme] was ‘Hold Up Wait a Minute,’ so a lot of the dance we did for that year had a lot to do with the different movements and holding up and waiting. Last year we did ‘One Hit Wonders,’ so we tried to incorporate some dance steps that were here and then gone during our dance feature. This year it is a compilation of a lot of dances that you would have at a wedding since our show this year is off of the theme: ‘Old, New, Borrowed and Blue.’” 

But for some of the members, it has become one of their least favorite parts of the band. 

With disagreements between some, most have described their experience with the band as being a part of a family. Sean Mackey, sophomore and trumpet player, said his favorite part of band is the “marching band because it feels like a community and it really is a great experience.”