It’s takes loads of time and energy — sometimes when there’s no loads time or energy to give.

The same can be said for performing in a show.

Since the pandemic, high schools that have marching band programs sometimes struggle to find enough participants to have a full band. And while the programs are viewed as extracurricular, many volunteers, faculty members, and student-performers put in their time to make sure the shows, and seasons are the best they can be.

“For me it’s all about giving kids an opportunity and creating an experience for them that they would not otherwise have,” said Jamestown High School Marching Band Director Meghan Murray.

On the back of bleachers near an entrance to Strider Field, one can see the awards that the Jamestown High School Marching band has won. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Murray has been involved with marching band for 17 years and was drum major when she was at JHS.

This year’s show is entitled “Lunar Odyssey.

Some area students look forward to the annual fall marching season with much anticipation. During the summer months, many marching band members hone their skills whether it is percussion, woodwinds, brass, or auxiliary including flags and rifles. They partake in marching drills, meet their squad leaders, memorize music, and learn the most of the show. Students put in endless amounts of time, not because they are required to, but because they get to express themselves in different ways.

Assistant Director Marc Lentsch, who also wrote the music for the show, echoed Murray’s thoughts.

“I like how the kids work really hard” Lentsch said. “I like how they learn how to socialize with everyone else, and how they learn to overcome obstacles. They learn a lot of things in addition to music. I like to see the enjoy something part of school.”

The Jamestown High School Marching Band performs at halftime during a Red Raider home football game. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

Lentsch said another person wrote the marching and manuevering for the show. The marching band usually performs at halftime during Red Raider home football games on Fridays at Strider Field. On Saturdays, the band may travel throughout Western New York to perform at other venues.

With weekly shows, the band prepares for the New York State Field Band Conference Championships to be held at Syracuse University’s JMA Wireless Dome, Oct. 30. Jamestown was crowned NYFBC Champion in Class AAA in 1991, and in Class Large School 2 in 2002, 2014, 2015, and 2018.

According to nysfbc.org, bands are scored in these categories:

¯ General Effect Visual — 20 points Total

¯ Ensemble Visual — 20 points Total

¯ Field Visual — 10 points Total (20 divided by 2)

¯ General Effect Music – 20 points Total

¯ Ensemble Music — 20 points Total

¯ Field Music — 20 points Total (divided by 2)

To take home an award is like icing on the cake — it makes the months of hard work and dedication that much sweeter.

It gives students sense of purpose and otherwise validates them. To hear the words “you belong” may be the motivation message members need to hear. Performing in a marching band offers a safe space and a sense of place.

“We want to teach and instruct more than music Life lessons, discipline, intrinsic motivation, and responsibility, that is what our ultimate goal is,” Murray said.

And then there is the athletic component.

Trying to learn how to march is hard, and then using those skills when asked to march with an ensemble may prove difficult.

Or try to march while carrying a snare drum or bass drum on the field. The first thing that may hurt is your back, then your shoulders, and then your legs.

Just memorizing the music can cause stress.

But the stress may be alleviated once members learn their assignments.

But students do it simply because they care.

Marching band is more than just marching, maneuvering, and playing an instrument. It’s more than just hearing the clanging of the automated metronome over a loudspeaker, during a practice. Marching band gives students the chance to build relationships, to learn discipline, to learn to be accountable, to learn to be responsible, to learn to be prideful, to learn to be respectful, and to learn about how important teamwork is.

Eleventh grader Owen Slojkowski loves being a drum major.

“It’s great — the leadership roll, and being able to help everybody,” he said.