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Messenger photo by Kristy Zurbrick
Madison-Plains’ marching band includes: (cymbal players) Nathan Isaacs, Zach Gorman; (first row, from left) Emily Clay, Devin Kilbarger, Ryan Laverse, Nicholas Dillion, Bryan Wilson, Jessi Glispie, Susie Kessler, Andrew Horton; (second row) Todd Weaver, Kyle Phillips, Allen Cooley, Tara Carroll, Mackenzie Walters, Erin Teague, Katelind Gorman, Katlin Justice; (third row) Nathan Kazee, Ellie Allen, Carl Benedetti, David Baughn, Salena Stewart, Ian Williamson, Ressie Waddle, Elli Brady, Jonathan Davis; (fourth row) Shannon Kessler, Derrick Ridenour, Steven Eagle, Kaitlyn Ulrich, Melyssa Allen, Andrew O’Bryant, Caliabe Coy; (fifth row) Abby McNamara, Jason Roberts, Trenton Hughes, Zach Runyan, Ryan Morgan, Randi Alvord; (sixth row) John Morgan, Adam Shonkwiler, Kyle Casey; (back row) Director Derek Scoles and Field Commander Anna Rosati. |
The Madison-Plains High School marching band has chosen a train theme for its half-time show this football season. It’s appropriate for a program that’s on the right track.
Madison-Plains chugs into the 2008 season with two contest wins from last year and twice as many musicians.
“We have 48 members with a couple more coming out,” said director Derek Scoles. “I think the growth has a lot to do with the success we had last year and our focus on professionalism and quality.”
The Golden Eagles’ 2007 contest victories at Teays Valley and Fairborn came against bands of 60-plus members, an impressive feat for an ensemble that numbered only in the 20s.
“In addition to football games, we will do five contests this year. We’re only doing the ones that are based on school size because it’s the more difficult circuit and we will learn more from it,” Scoles said.
The competition schedule is: Logan Elm on Sept. 20, Grove City on Sept. 27, Thomas Worthington on Oct. 4, Teays Valley on Oct. 11, and Copley on Oct. 18.
As for the train theme for this year’s show, Scoles said he wanted something that would appeal to both the home football crowd and competition judges.
The show starts with “Crazy Train” by rocker Ozzy Osbourne, followed by a Latin samba arrangement of “Take the A Train.”
The third song, “Chattanooga Choo-Choo,” features a Dixieland quartet and a drumset player: Kyle Phillips on clarinet, Melyssa Allen on trumpet, Ryan Morgan on trombone, Kyle Casey on tuba, and Nick Dillion on drums.
“Long Train Runnin’” by the Doobie Brothers wraps up the show and puts the spotlight on Madison-Plains award-winning drum line and trumpet soloist Kaitlyn Ulrich.
When asked what she thinks of the show, field commander Anna Rosati said, “I’m really excited. I think it’s going to be awesome.” Rosati, a senior, has played clarinet in the band for four years.
David Baughn, a saxophone player and band president, said the band is many steps ahead of where they were last year at this time.
“At band camp, we got our first song done in one day. It took us three days last year,” he said.
The band traveled to the University of Rio Grande for band camp this year.
Scoles is joined again this season by percussion specialist Zak O’Day, who was a professor of percussion at the College of Wooster. Anya Hoagland, a color guard specialist, is new to the band staff. She is a senior at The Ohio State University, majoring in Spanish and pharmacy.
Scoles thanked the school board for appropriating $12,000 for the band program to buy five new instruments. The band enters the season with a new bass drum, tom-toms, chimes, sousaphone and piccolo.
Besides football games and contests, the marching band’s schedule includes parade appearances at the Lilly Chapel Homecoming, West Jefferson Ox Roast and Circleville Pumpkin Show.
