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Article: Marching Band
Writer: Aly Ghenciu
The River Falls Marching Band is one of the most participated-in activities at the High School. With over 100 members, it has won the State Championships five years in a row and now this year, too. Even after the season ends, the group still works hard on their Community Performances and other musical activities. If you want to hear all about the program, just keep on reading!
Diving in, the River Falls Marching Band has a deep history going back to the early 1980s. Among the rest, this year stands out as very successful. The first competitions began in September and continued every weekend until the State Competition in mid-October. This year, the Marching Band has had a clean sweep of wins throughout the entire season. The different places that they compete at include Chippewa Falls, Baldwin, Cumberland, and Hudson high schools.
Similarly, another thing that the Marching Band participates in is Youth In Music (also known as YIMS). This competition takes place in the US Bank Stadium, where they go against many different Minnesota marching bands. Against these very talented groups, River Falls placed 4th in their category, which is an impressive feat.
Finishing off strongly, the band also won at State, securing titles like Best Colorguard and Best Visual Presentation, along with the overall win. After all the hard work that many students have put in, this was a big reward. This year's state-winning show was titled Endless Blue and lots of thought went into picking and cultivating a show that could take the band to their full potential. Many meetings are held with show design teams, the directors of the band, prop makers, show writers, choreographers, and more. The staff that runs this activity is vast, though it’s not only them that keep the program afloat but also the volunteers, family members, and friends. It can be surprising how many people are necessary to keep everything running. Some important members include bus drivers, boosters to raise money for the program, a prop crew to make and transport props to and from every show, chaperones on buses to watch over kids, and costumers.
On another note, anybody interested in cultivating their music education and performance and learning more about teamwork should definitely look into joining the group. The band’s directors are Mr. Plum and Mr. Jaeckel, both of whom are valid resources for any inquiry. Secondly, the @riverfallsband Instagram is another thing to take a look at for updates and information about all things band-related.
To wrap it up, just because the season has come to a close, it doesn’t mean that the Marching Band will stop being an important feature within the community. The same group of people will continue working hard throughout Concert Band, the school musical, Pep Band, and many other things. They will also come back even better than ever to put on another amazing show next year. By watching the Marching Band and being informed about it, we don’t only support its members but also our school.
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