Hamburg High School Marching Band’s season began Aug. 15 with Band Camp, a time for the band to learn the music, marching drills, and field show formations.
“We have a nice number this year and we’re looking forward to it,” said Hamburg Area High School Director of Bands Megan Reimer.
There are 29 playing members, 9 color guard and two banner carriers.
“They’re very dedicated,” said Reimer.
In July the band performed in the Fourth of July Parade in Washington, D.C.
“So they had about a month’s rest and then right back into it for the regular season. Very dedicated students,” said Reimer.
Band Camp is held prior to the start of school for about a week to a week and a half. Reimer said they try to coordinate with athletics to share the students who are involved with sports as well as band. They march in the morning and head indoors during the hottest part of the day for music rehearsal and the color guard practices routines in the gym.
This year’s field show is Stevie Wonder music.
“We’re really excited to present that. We have ‘Higher Ground,’ ‘Signed, Sealed and Delivered,’ and also ‘Don’t you worry about a thing,'” said Reimer. “It’s a lot of fun stuff. Stevie Wonder was never one to be boring so we’re trying to keep the excitement up just like he would have and really represent the music well. We’re excited to share our music with the community.”
Reimer told the students at the beginning of Band Camp that marching band is like doing a sport.
“It’s like any group, team activity,” said Reimer. “You learn a lot of life skills, responsibility, loyalty and being true to your team and also responsibility of making sure they’re on time.”
“It’s great not only musically but it’s also great to learn some life skills as well.”
To make Band Camp fun, they include fun activities such as water balloons and pizza day, as well as marching drills and exercises.
“The majority of these kids are really into what they do. They love the music. They love sharing it with others so this is just a great way for them to also get moving and do it all at the same time,” said Reimer.
Hamburg senior Jayde Dries, a clarinet player and drum major, likes this year’s show.
“It’s a lot of moving parts and it’s a challenge so it gets everybody on their feet moving,” said Dries.
Dries said Band Camp is an opportunity for everybody to get to know each other before the season starts and prepare the field show.
“It really brings us together,” said Dries. “That’s what my favorite part of Band Camp is.”
She likes the music and getting to travel.
“I love the feel of the team effort and how much work we put into everything that we do,” said senior clarinet player Brittany Freed. “We have 7.5 to 8 minutes on that field but we put all this time into it just for that big performance.”
Freed said they go into performance mode while out on the field performing the show.
“Your focus is only on the music and on the show while your out there on the field performing. It’s this great happy feeling,” she said.
Band Camp is a time for them to all get together before school starts.
“It’s pretty much a school day but it’s all music and drills and the show. It’s a really great thing to come back to even if it’s really hot outside like it has been,” said Freed.
What she likes about marching band are the friends that she has made.
“We all have in common this love for music and performing. It just makes it great,” said Freed.
