Tomorrow, the band will march into the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, instruments in hand, for the 12th year in a row to perform their show “The Impossible Dream” at State Finals.
“We feel like this is a very strong group of students,” Mr. Adam Beaupre, assistant band director, said. “Going into the year, we felt confident in the abilities they had themselves and their capabilities of performing our show.”
The show features two dancers, Emma Potchen, freshman, who plays the monster in the dream, and Ari Vrehas, seventh grader, the main character who falls asleep and explores her dream, eventually killing the monster.
“We play a bunch of different music and styles to show how much dreams can vary,” Ben Coble, sophomore, said.
Making it to State has brought a series of emotions to band members.
“Hearing our names being called was genuinely one of the best feelings ever,” Charity Ibikunle, senior, said. “It meant that all of our hard work over the past four months was worth it. After we made it back to our buses we met with the underclassmen and all hugged and cried because we were so excited.”
Band director Ian Marcusiu wanted to make it to State, but also continues to emphasize the other important parts of the band.
“We’ve made State many years in a row now and the last few times there’s been some disappointments in terms of maybe we expected to place higher,” Mr. Marcusiu said. “You have to understand that not all was lost. We grew tremendously as musicians, players and individuals and you just have to realize that the whole process is important and super fun too.”
The band is focused on winning short term, but also gaining long term success for the program. The directors keep the future in mind.
“At the end of the day, a year down the line, three or even five years down the line the question is how can we create a culture of excellence and success,” Mr. Beaupre said. “How can we push ourselves to grow as much as possible and set ourselves up for success down the road?”
As a senior in her last season, Emma Kavalec, drum major, has been around and understands the importance of working for the present as well as the future.
“The uncertainty of what could happen in the future is definitely the most stressful part,” Emma said.
Marching band isn’t only related to how well the students perform their show.
“We can go out there and feel like ‘man, we had a great show’ but there are 20 other groups vying for that top ten when we get to Semi-State,” Mr. Marcusiu said. “There are objective things like if it sounds good, but it’s six judges’ opinions and they’re essentially ranking us on what they see and what they hear.”
The directors think that no matter the outcome, the band has worked hard.
“The general view of marching band is always a pep band, football game kind of thing,” Mr. Beaupre said. “There is another whole world that people have such a limited understanding of and I cannot encourage people enough to see a show, watch the rehearsals or just get involved. It really can be quite an amazing thing.”
