Under the Spotlight, The Marching Bees Take the Field

Every fall Friday, bright lights and cheers fill the stands of many schools. While players fight in intense football games, they are accompanied by the energetic fury of the marching band. As the clock rolls into halftime, marching band members get ready to show off their unique talent. 

Many people may not realize the number of hours and the intensity of the workouts put into marching onto the field and performing the musical showcase, all for the fun and entertainment of hundreds of fans. What seems like a simple 10-minute show is so much more for these players. 

Accompanying the marching band is the flagline, otherwise known as the color guard. Members of the flagline help grab attention and bring color and dance into the songs. Members wave flags to a choreographed routine, these flags have fun designs on them. Bringing fun energy to the field and doing routines that correlate to the marching band, the flagline is a crucial part of the band. 

This season, the marching band featured not just one, but two shows. Each one of these shows incorporates a lot of creativity. Members of the band get to march not just in formations, but also to spell out words. 

The first show has a theme of “Party Gras.” In this show, the band performs four songs in total. Consisting of songs like “Lil Liza Jane,” “Land of Make Believe,” “Birdland,” and “Malaguena.” Band director, Steven Cocchiola says, “This show was my favorite because it started something new and was fun to explore with the band.”  

The band’s first song, “Lil Liza Jane,”  starts off with seniors playing solos and marching onto the field, while others in the band cheer. Then, everyone runs on the field, dancing, doing cartwheels, and doing anything else fun.  During the song, field commanders turn around and sing into the stands along with the entirety of the marching band, while clapping. This song is a fun favorite for everyone, with minimal playtime, only lasting a couple of measures.

 “‘Lil Liza’ is the first time we ever have had field commanders sing; it was a really nice thing to try,” says Cocchiola.. 

Nathan Petras, freshman, agrees saying, “The show is really fun and the music is more fun to play.” 

Show two has a Michael Jackson theme.  The same as show one, the band has four songs to perform in total: “Thriller,” “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” and “Smooth Criminal.” Just like show one, this show also incorporates fun into it. 

In “Smooth Criminal” there is a dance break. At a certain point, all members stop and do a choreographed dance. The show also includes other parts, such as in “Beat It,” members sway back and forth as if they are ‘fighting’ with the other side of the field. In “Thriller,” members take a break and scream at the audience. Lizzie Radd, a freshman, says, “Micheal Jackson was my favorite because the dance is really fun and the songs are fun” 

In show two, seniors are recognized before they leave. For example at the beginning of “Thriller”, just seniors play. Also, at the end of “Beat It,” all members of the band spell out, ‘seniors,’ on the field. The seniors are recognized for their commitment to the band, and because it is their last show with the band before graduating. 

Aside from marching and playing music, the band holds special traditions such as homecoming section dinners. This is when an entire section goes over to the section leader’s house, or a restaurant for dinner. After dinner,  many decorate their instruments, a special tradition for homecoming, to see who can get the best decorations on their instrument with it still being fully playable. 

This is not the only thing that the marching Bees do for homecoming. With a special show, the Bees perform a special song called, “Le Regiment.” Throughout this song, the band spells out a script B spelling out the word ‘Bees’ in cursive. This transition brings a special spotlight for homecoming and is a fun tradition to spice the shows up. 

At the end of each season, the band holds a special event called “The Sounds of the Stadium.” At this event, the band performs all songs played that season. This special event highlights all the fun marching band members have throughout the season showcasing their hard work and playing the songs for a final time to conclude the season. 

Overall, the marching band is a very big commitment. It brings people together and adds excitement to football games. Doing marching band is fun with your friends, and it is a fun way to meet new people. “I love seeing my friends in the marching band!” says freshman Alex Bram. 

Agreeing with this, senior Julia Stephan says, “My favorite part of marching band would definitely be the people you meet.” 

All in all, the marching band takes a lot of time out of somebody’s schedule, but it is truly worth it for the memories and friends one will make.