FRISCO, TX – What makes Friday night football so exciting? Is it the football team securing a win or seeing the Sweethearts give a gorgeous performance? For some, seeing their friends and family marching during half-time gives them a glimpse of the 2024 Marching Showis what takes the cake.
Titled “Red Light, Green Light,” the Centennial Titan Band takes the audience member through a playful show centered around the childhood game Red Light Green Light.
In three parts, they first give you the green light, with a fun game included. Then, yellow light, with a beautiful playing of “Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John. Finally, red light, a very powerful ending to the show.
Yet one major question comes up: what is a marching band? It’s a mixture of playing instruments and marching on the football field, providing entertainment for all those who see it. The band is made up of woodwind and brass instruments with a drumline and a front ensemble as well. To add to the visual effects, the band features Colorguard, who spin flags, rifles, sabers, and dance.
With all these complicated parts working together, structure is very important for a team like this. Colorguard and each of the instruments are split into sections with leaders for each. These students are called section leaders and make sure that everyone can play their music and have everything they need for games and competitions.
One of the section leaders for the clarinets, Junior Adjoa Wilson, talks about the responsibilities of a section leader.
“Checking them for inspection is one thing, [and other responsibilities include] the information they should have for practices and whatnot and teaching marching fundamentals during camp for newbies,” Wilson said.
But there are even more layers to the Titan Band. Above the section leaders, are the Drum Majors. These four students lead the entire band, ensuring everyone performs together by conducting. They also have the added responsibility of making sure that the section leaders know what information they have to send out to their section.
But that can become a lot. Junior Drum Major Sienna Smith has just started her journey as Drum Major, so how has she managed to balance school, band, and her personal life in such an important year?
“It’s definitely a lot, especially with soccer and school,” Smith said. “But it’s like I know it will get done and I’m going to have to figure it out, so I don’t waste time dreading that I have to do it, just get it done.”
For some, this is their last marching season. And after marching for four or three years, some people have to be the best at what they do. So as seniors, they have underclassmen looking up to them as the main example. Senior Drum Major Jacob Weber shares his insights as a senior in the band.
“Especially as a Drum Major, but as a senior a lot of the freshmen look up to you, you know, they follow what you do. So you kinda have to, like, lead by example on how you act and what you do in the band.”
To watch the Centennial Band perform their show, come to the Lebanon vs. Centennial game this Thursday. If you want to keep up with the Centennial Band, go to centennialband.com to keep updated on what the band is doing, even outside of the marching season.
