With over 80 students, Fremont High School’s marching band and color guard just completed another season. After having last year’s season online, it was very exciting to go back to in-person practices and competitions. Although matters are still not exactly as they used to be, it is definitely a step up.

This year’s show is entitled  “Classic Rach” and is a combination of songs by Rachmaninoff, as well as classic rock songs from bands such as Queen and Led Zeppelin. The show focuses heavily on dancing and other visual elements.

“We have a show that the kids really like,” band director Joseph Kelly said. “We intentionally picked a show that would not only be fun for them, but also for the audience.”

The marching band did fall into a few issues this season. Due to COVID, it was difficult to recruit new members. Usually, band members would visit middle schools to encourage upcoming high schoolers to join marching band. Trying to virtually promote the band proved to be a struggle. However, this did not deter the band.

“COVID definitely decreased our numbers, but I think the energy is still present,” assistant drum major Alex Ogden said.

With this being the first in person year for both the freshmen and sophomore classes, there were a lot more new members in the band than previous years. This was a struggle for both younger and older team members.

“There were so many inexperienced people and it was tough just getting back into the swing of things,” assistant drum major Katya Teodorovich said. “There’ve been some changes in marching technique and how we do visuals and stuff. Some of the other upperclassmen weren’t used to that and we had to adjust. So it took us some time, but I think we’ve come to a consensus on how it all works.”

Each member had to work harder than ever to overcome the struggles and create an amazing show, which required a lot of strong leadership from the older students.

“The student leadership, especially the three drum majors, are incredible,” Kelly said. “They communicate well with their peers, they know what to say.”

Despite the difficulty revolving around the pandemic, the show definitely went out with a bang. Incorporating music from recognizable songs, as well as placing focus on visual aspects, made the performance really dynamic. One of the most memorable elements of the show was all of the choreography and excitement from the band. In the final movement, almost every member of the marching band put down their instruments and performed a dance sequence together, ending with a loud cheer. It was clear that the performers were genuinely enjoying themselves, which made the performance a lot more lighthearted and engaging.

“They’ve been really good competitively.” said Kelly. “They’re one of the top groups in their size.”

This is definitely not an understatement as the band often receives first place in their division.

In conclusion, despite all of the hardships surrounding COVID and lack of experience, the marching band pulled through thanks to a lot of hard work and they gave a great and entertaining performance.