Marching Band Gets Ready for the Season

Chatter and laughter could be heard above musical sounds in the high school band room as kids began to make their way past the cases of instruments near the back door and onto the field.

Lunchtime is over and it’s time to get back into their routines. Drum major Alex Sisco calls out “Atten-HUT” and the rest of the group gets into the first position in the formation.

It’s the third week of August and that means band camp has begun. Every year the kids in the high school marching band spend an entire week learning and practicing their drills on the field to be ready for the fall game season.  About 50 or so kids from grades 7 to 12 make up this year’s marching band, said Joe Ascolese the school’s music director.

Each day this week the marching band members attend the camp from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ascolese explained that the goal of this week is to learn the entire 7-minute show and spend the rest of the season perfecting it. After this week they will continue to rehearse two to three times a week. They also host some rehearsals on Saturdays as well.  

Band choreographer Mike Copollo writes the routines for the band and spends the camp week assisting in training them. Copolla said he’s been working with the Heights high school marching band for about 15 years now.

Like sports teams and clubs, marching band is an extracurricular activity. The kids involved do not get any school credit for their time. 

“It’s a lot of commitment and they have to really want to do it,” Ascolese said. The marching band is signed up for two competitions this year. They perform at all home and away football games and perform in the town holiday parade and Memorial Day parade every year.

“The kids put in a lot of hours and lot of time,” said Ruth Feehan, president of the which works to support the marching band and color guard by assisting at events, raising funds and supporting through them competitions and camp week.

Feehan and some of the other moms in the association who are available to come in help out at lunchtime serving up pizza and snacks to the kids.

Since camp week marks the first meeting of the band for the season, it’s tradition for some of the senior members to welcome the newest members with a little fun initiation. The older members gave all the newest members vest shields to wear on the field on the first day.

“It’s a group that really all gets along,” Feehan said regarding the interaction and fun times the kids get to enjoy during the camp week.

Mary Nicolletti, vice president of the Music Parents, echoed Feehan’s words adding that the older kids also take the time to work with the younger kids to help teach them.