Mattawan High School Marching Band: Music to Last a
Lifetime
It’s the first day of marching band camp for the freshmen at Mattawan
High School. They stand as a rag-tag line in the school parking lot holding
imaginary instruments and learning the most basic steps of the band’s
routine. Brenna Halpin, a senior and a section leader, remembers those
days. “You are so worried that you might not get to the right spot
in time.” Both feet feel like left feet.
Yet by the end of band camp, and certainly by the time of the first
competition, those clumsy freshmen have turned into prize-winning musicians
in an award-winning band of 180 members. Drum Major, Heather Osterhouse,
says that is the most remarkable part, “It’s just amazing
how far everyone comes in a short amount of time.”
Over on the grass beside the school, a group of drummers practice a
routine. In a marching band, a lot of the spectacle rests on the shoulders
of the drum line. Generally an entire number is dedicated to their flashy
playing and maneuvering. In another spot, a bevy of girls practice a
flag routine which will accentuate the music and provide color and style.
Ask any high school marching band member; a high school marching band
is a culture onto itself. Because of the intensity of the band experience,
most band members are bonded to each other and turn to each other for
support and fun. Brenna says that most of her friends are band members,
and because of that, the band room is a home away from home. For a freshman,
attending three weeks of band camp makes them a part of the high school
before the school year even begins.
The Mattawan High School Marching Band performs at every home football
game, at four competitions, and a marching festival during the fall season.
The band performs the same routine at each of these events; the routine
and the music are professionally created just for the Mattawan band.
Often the band goes home from the competitions with awards and prizes.
Last year, they won the Grand Champion award at the Gull Lake competition,
and they frequently win prizes for best music, best drum line, and best
drum majors. At the competitions, the drum majors accept the awards for
the band, and for Heather, that is her proudest moment – accepting
awards for the band and for the school.
Parents play an important part in the life of a marching band. The band
booster organization provides much of the funding for the marching band.
It pays for uniforms, instruments, and trips to competitions. On the
first day of band camp, a group of parents were sorting through the uniforms,
matching kids of every size to available uniforms. Drum Major Angie McMahon
suggests that the band couldn’t be a band without the parents.
Of course, most parents come to the football games and competitions
and sit as a group to support the band. For many parents, the culture
of the marching band very quickly becomes an important part of their
family’s life, and competition days become times of picnics and
socializing.
When marching season is over, band members change uniforms and become
concert musicians playing classical band music for the rest of the school
year -- or at least until May when they become a parade band and march
in the Tulip Time Parade. Every few years the band marches at Disney
World and has a great spring vacation together.
Angie, Brenna, and Heather all agree that marching band has given them
skills that will last a lifetime and an understanding of teamwork and
accomplishment that will make their high school years memorable.
