Interview with some of the Marching Band Members

Article by: Jeff Herbst

Coming off of a season when the Pennsbury Marching Band traveled to Hong Kong to perform an amazing field show before 40,000 rugby fans and 50,000,000 television viewers, other bands might have throttled back the difficulty.  Not this band this year. 

Matt Adler, this year's captain and a band senior, said this season's show is the hardest one musically of the four he's played in and is "definitely a lot more emotional" than last year's.  The music this season, he said, "will get people off their feet."

"The music this year is phenomenal," Sean Bailey agreed.

The theme for this year's performance is Starry Night, complete with star formations and a rich set of star-themed songs.  Four members will have solos: Laura Metzler, Ben Lupinacci, Carrie Oechsle, and Rich Beem.

Most bands, said Band Director Frank Mazzeo, use 50 sets.  "At Pennsbury we like to overachieve," he said.  "This year we have 62." 

"Our drill set is amazing," Mr. Mazzeo said.  For example, he said, at one point one part of the band slows to half tempo while the other speeds to double tempo.

A set is a member's assigned position on the field.  Based on these sets, the band members create formations in what is called a drill.

During two weeks of mostly sunny and dry weather, milder than in recent years, the band has been putting in 8-hour days and, as usual, have progressed an extraordinary amount.  The freshmen have quickly learned, and "this year's leaders have really stepped up," Mr. Mazzeo said. Only two of this year's officers were officers last year.

"It's a huge commitment to be here," Matt Adler said.  "[The band] has done a great job so far."

The camp, he explained, progresses through three basic stages:

            1) band members walk through the sets without instruments

            2) the band walks through the sets holding their instruments, but do not play

            3) the band starts playing the music as they work through the drill      

Dan Adler said the toughest part of camp was bringing together the music and drill sets.  "The first time I marched and played" was tough, he said, but it was also when things came together.

Unlike other years, when the parents are invited to see the field show during the final practice, this year's first performance of the show will be at the first Pennsbury football game.

In fact, the band first brought the music and marching together the day before their first performance on August 29.

This year 28 Ninth graders have joined the band.  Freshmen might begin camp intimidated, but by the end they've acclimated to Pennsbury Band's style and the expectations made on them. 

Dan Adler, whom Mr. Mazzeo described as "one of our outstanding freshmen," said he was a little overwhelmed when he arrived, but one of the payoffs, besides being a much better musician, is being part of a school community before classes begin.

"I've definitely already felt a part of the school ," said Adler, one of three Freshmen drum line members.

A member of the 18-member band front, Melissa Petty is one of 11 band front freshmen, but she's hardly new to the band community.  Her sister, Caitlin, and mother, Sandy, were four-year guard members, and her father, Mike, is head chaperone.

"You meet a lot of people before you even start school," she said.

Amy Lynes, who leads the flute section, said even though this is not a trip year, plenty of motivation remains in aiming to do well at both the band festivals and USSBA competitions.

Plus there's the pride of being part of Long Orange Line.

"I'm motivated because I want us to look good," she said.