By: Kirsten Morealli

The theme of this year’s halftime show is Electronic Dance Music (EDM). It features the songs `` We Found Love by Rihanna'', `` Wake Me Up” by Avicii, and “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO. The show is very high energy and exciting to watch from beginning to end. During the show there are four major triangle moves and a D.J. cart. It is definitely worth it to come see the show this year. Mr. Kokus is the band director and has been teaching at Cambria Heights for a total of 17 years. He puts his heart and soul into the half-time production. I was able to sit down and talk to Mr. Kokus about marching band life, the halftime show, and his current classes.

Question 1: How long have you been teaching at Cambria Heights?

Answer: “I have been teaching at Cambria Heights for a total of seventeen years. I was at the middle school for seven years and the high school for ten years.”

Question 2: What college did you attend?

Answer: “I went to the Eastern School of Music and I also got my masters at Penn State.”

Question 3: What is your favorite instrument to play and teach?

Answer: “My favorite instrument to play would be the bassoon. I don’t have a favorite instrument to teach, though. I love being able to teach a wide variety of different instruments to students.”

Question 4: How much time goes into a completed half-time show?

Answer: “ I’d say it always depends on the year. For this year, once you decide on what kind of show you want to do, you have to execute it. That includes paperwork, forms, recruiting students, the actual events, boosters. Basically just a lot more time than you would think.”

Question 5: Why do you put in all the work and time for a halftime show?

Answer: “I put in all the hard work for a successful half-time show because I take pride in what I do.”

Question 6: If you weren’t a music teacher, what do you see yourself doing?

Answer: “If I wasn’t involved in music at all, I see myself being an architect or an engineer.”

Question 7: What do you enjoy about teaching high school?

Answer: “The thing I enjoy the most about teaching high school is that this job is never boring. Kids are always changing and so that means the job is always changing. How I teach has to change. I also like the challenge and I like that I get to teach a lot of different things.”

Question 8: What is your favorite music class to teach in the highschool?

Answer: “I wouldn’t say that I have a favorite class. There are things that I enjoy about each class I teach.”

Question 9: Is there anything else you would like people to know?

Answer: “I live in Ebensburg with my wife and son. I love to build things from scratch, and I also enjoy traveling.”