LHS Marching Band Prepares for New Season

This article was submitted from Livingston Public Schools.

The fields around Heritage Middle School were full of sound this week … full of the noise of construction workers finishing some of the renovations for the beginning of school Sept. 6 and full of the music of Elvis Presley as the Livingston High School Marching Band practiced its new routine for its upcoming season.

Of the 70 students in the mid-sized Group 3 Level A band, most of them are attending the week-long band camp to work on this season’s new routine, “Elvis Live,” a medley of Elvis Presley songs including “Love Me Tender,” and “Hound Dog,” said marching band co-director James Hegedus.

"I've been running band camps for over 25 years,” said band co-director Michael Jedwabnik.  “Every year I am impressed with the progress that the students make in one week. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly things come together, and that's the result of a lot of hard work from everyone involved - from the students to the parents and all the staff members. It's a collective effort."

The band performed the program for the first time in June when they traveled to and led the afternoon parade in front of a cheering crowd down Main Street in the , band members said.

Traditionally, every summer, the band spends a week learning the music and marching routine at the annual summer band camp preceding the start of school, Hegedus said. This year, the band will perform their new season’s routine for parents and the public Friday at 3 p.m. at the Heritage Middle School field next to the learning cottages.

“It’s really fun towards the end of the camp, when we are putting the marching and music together and we turn it into a show,” said senior Sara Vossler, a clarinet player. “It is a really neat experience that gives me a sense of accomplishment.”

Freshman Brian Luster, a trumpet player, said he was enjoying his first experience in the marching band with the band camp and was already noticing an improvement in his playing in just a few days. “The band camp is intense, but rewarding,” Brian said. “I am learning proper marching form and posture.”

Color guard captain Maureen Duguid is sad that this is her fourth and last year in the marching band at LHS. “I just love being in the color guard,” she said. “It’s pretty exciting and we bring the art to the music.”

Junior Jesse Kirsch, a tenor sax player, said band camp is a great preface to the start of school. “It’s great to see your friends before school starts and slowly get back into it (the band) at the end of the summer,” Jesse said. “It’s very intense. We also always have great kickball games during our lunch break.”

Allison Freeman is the Interim Manager of Communications and Community Outreach for Livingston Public Schools.