All Things Considered

Halftime Is A Warm-Up Act For Marching Bands

By Tom Goldman

Published November 13, 2009 10:45 AM

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When we began our high school football series, Friday Night Lives, many listeners wrote in and suggested a story on marching bands. They are, after all, as much a part of the Friday night culture as anything.

Homecoming night might be a big deal for the football team, but for the Sunset High School marching band in Portland, Ore., it's a mere dress rehearsal. Saturday band competitions are the big shows. That's when band parents and friends cheer as lustily as football fans do at the homecoming game and when judges rate musicianship and movement. (You try playing a flute quick-stepping across the field.)

Precision is expected at Sunset, since the Sunset Apollo Marching Band and Auxiliary is the reigning Northwest Association for the Performing Arts AA champion.

The Great Social Divide

It may seem like marching bands and football teams have little more in common than the turf they both practice and play on. But according to band director Greg Hall, football coaches and band directors share the same mission.

"We're teachers. Much like there's an offensive line, we have woodwinds, we have brasses, we have percussion. And, we're trying to teach our kids how to soar to their potential. Mine just happens to be music," Hall says.

It's a nice thought, football and marching band of the same ilk, separated only by shoulder pads and trumpets. But even Hall, who played high school football once upon a time, knows about the perception of the great social divide.

Football players = big men on campus.

Band members?

"Kind of nerdy perhaps. Not in the in crowd," Hall says.

But maybe that's not the case anymore. The band members he directs at Sunset are in school government. They're athletes and top students — although there are those certainly who march to a different ... sax.

"We're just kinda goofy," says band member Brian Whitney. Whitney is the saxophone section leader, where he says, they are notorious for their bad work ethic.

"It is a challenge to get this section to actually get good music out on the field sometimes," Whitney says.

The Halftime Game

At the homecoming game, the band gets only 10 minutes for its halftime performance, but it's well-received. The 88 members include musicians and color guard — the people waving huge flags and doing choreographed moves with fake rifles and sabers. As the football players reclaim the field, the band hustles off and gathers in a big circle with band alumnus and assistant Brian Fitzsimmons in the middle.

"It was good; it wasn't great. A lot of foot-timing issues. Wasn't the best show," Fitzsimmons says. We're gonna hit it hard on Monday, gonna make sure you guys are set for competition next weekend."

The different sections meet for their own spin-down sessions. Whitney talks to his saxophone players — the goofy guys — then finishes by telling them to lay down their instruments on the ground. He then thrusts his arm into the air and screams.

"Saxes strike a heroic pose!"

He waits for a few seconds as the section members copy his stance.

"Heroic pose over! All right guys!"

After their heroic pose, the saxes follow other band members back to the band room to change. Many then will leave and miss the second half of what ends up being a 37-0 Sunset loss.

There are victories to prepare for at the next band competition — where it's certain someone will wear a T-shirt with the message that gets knowing chuckles in the band community: I look forward to the day when football is played at halftime.

View Transcript

MICHELE NORRIS, host:

You ask for it, you got it.

(Soundbite of school band)

NORRIS: When we began our high school football series Friday Night Lives, many of you wrote in asking for the same thing, a story on marching bands. They are after all a huge part of the Friday night culture.

From Portland, Oregon, NPR's Tom Goldman has this profile of the Sunset High School marching band.

TOM GOLDMAN: I love marching bands.

Mr. GREG HALL (Band Director, Sunset Apollo Marching Band and Auxiliary): So, why don't we give a Sunset welcome to Mr. Goldman.

(Soundbite of applause)

GOLDMAN: Hey, who isn't a (unintelligible) for a tumultuous welcome. But even without the cheers - and I know they're for the publicity I'm giving this appreciative group of teenagers - I still admire them for their ability to turn this�

(Soundbite of musical instruments)

GOLDMAN: �into this.

(Soundbite of musical instruments)

Mr. HALL: Okay. Let's talk a little music.

GOLDMAN: It's about an hour before kick off, a homecoming Friday night at Sunset High. And band director Greg Hall is warming up his musicians. A halftime performance on homecoming weekend is the big deal for some bands, but for these guys, a dress rehearsal.

Mr. HALL: Please keep in mind as we prepare for tonight, next weekend we're back at it.

GOLDMAN: It is Saturday band competition, an event where band, parents and friends cheer as lustily as football fans will tonight where judges will rate musicianship and movement. You try playing a flute quick stepping across the field. And where precision is expected at Sunset since the Apollo Marching Band is the reigning Northwest Association for the Performing Arts AA champion.

(Soundbite of musical instruments)

Mr. HALL: I'm not quite convinced such as that sound. I seriously think, Bruce, I'm really not convinced especially in the alto voice. Let's try harder please. Fast air stream match (unintelligible). Here we go please. Same thing.

(Soundbite of musical instruments)

Mr. HALL: Very good. Good.

(Soundbite of football players)

Unidentified Man #1: Pick it up over here. Pick it up over here. Pick it up.

GOLDMAN: Out on the football field, a decidedly different tone of pre-game, but, says Greg Hall, coaches and band directors share the same mission.

Mr. HALL: We're teachers. Much like there's an offensive line. We have woodwinds, we have brasses, we have percussion. And we're trying to teach our kids how to soar to their potential. Mine just happens to be music.

GOLDMAN: It's a nice thought, football and marching band at the same ilk, separated only by shoulder pads and trumpets. But even Greg Hall, who played high school football once upon a time, knows about the great social divide. Football players, big men on campus. Band members?

Mr. HALL: Kind of nerdy, perhaps. Not in the in crowd.

GOLDMAN: That's past tense says Hall, because today's band members, the ones he directs at Sunset, are in school government. They are athlete. They are top students - although there are those certainly who march to a different saxs.

Mr. BRIAN WHITNEY (Saxophone Section Leader, Sunset Apollo Marching Band and Auxiliary): We're just kind of goofy.

GOLDMAN: Brian Whitney is the saxophone section leader where they are notorious, he says, for their bad work ethic.

Mr. WHITNEY: It is a challenge to get this section to actually get good music out on the field sometimes. But (unintelligible).

(Soundbite of musical instruments)

GOLDMAN: The band gets only 10 minutes for its halftime performance, but it's well received. The 88 members include musicians and color guard - the people waving huge flags and doing choreographed moves with fake rifles and sabers. As the football players reclaim the field, the band hustles off and gathers in a big circle with band alumni assistant Brian Fitzsimmons in the middle.

Mr. BRIAN FITZSIMMONS (Visual technician, Sunset Apollo Marching Band and Auxiliary): It was good. It wasn't great. A lot of foot-timing issues.

Unidentified Woman #1: Okay. And even (unintelligible).

Mr. FITZSIMMONS: Wasn't the best show. Wasn't bad. It was not a bad show. Don't take that away from this. We're hit hard on Monday, and make sure you guys are set for competition next weekend.

GOLDMAN: The different sections meet for their own spin-down sessions. Brian Whitney talks to his saxophone players, the goofy guys, then finishes by telling them to lay down their instruments. He then thrusts his arm into the air and screams.

Mr. WHITNEY: Saxes strike a heroic pose. Heroic pose over.

(Soundbite of cheering)

Unidentified Man #2: All right, guys.

GOLDMAN: After their heroic pose, the saxes follow other band members back to the band room to change. Many then will leave and miss the second half of what ends up being a 37 to nothing Sunset lost. There are victories to prepare for at the next band competition where it certain someone will wear a t-shirt with the message that gets knowing chuckles in the band community. I look forward to the day when football is played at halftime.

Tom Goldman, NPR News.

(Soundbite of music) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

Source: NPR

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