Drum Majors march to a winning beat

Vernon – Drum majors could probably run the world.

Even though encouragement and inspiration are often required by other student leaders, such as class president, president of student council and presidents of assorted school clubs, it is only the 17-year-old Drum Major whose leadership includes instruction and correction. This year, Allie Specht and Michelle Miani, the two Drum Majors for Vernon Township High School’s marching band, reflect on a complicated job not many understand after a season that saw VTHS earn a prestigious first-place award they had never been able to win before.

To see them direct a Marching Band performance, gold cape tacked on as their symbol of authority, hands jumping up and down in an even tempo, it all looks pretty easy. One might even venture to claim, “I could do that.” But from July until November, a drum major is coordinating, teaching, drilling, planning, correcting, rehearsing and encouraging nearly a hundred very different students to function as a single unified team every single day. Playing at the Friday night varsity football games and then competing, often the very next morning, against 15 other accomplished marching bands for the entire fall. No time to sleep in or get sick. And often, a magical feat to get reading, writing and studying done for a class load that includes challenging courses. Miani and Specht confessed, “It’s madness!”

They had to compete in order to get the job and it’s not an easy gig to earn. The decision is made by Music Dept. staff headed by Marching Band Director Max Taylor. Musical audition, drill audition, essay, character and experience in Marching Band are obvious markers for Drum Major selection. But then there is that marching analysis, the video they are shown of a marching band’s drill which they have to critique to prove they have what it takes to lead the band. It’s a lot more than arm waving. It’s having an eye for formation, musicality, and an understanding of the union of eye and ear. Does the music you hear match the visual you are simultaneously seeing on the field?

To prepare them to lead their peers, many of them just as talented as they are, they attended the Drum Major Academy held each July at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. More than 100 Drum Majors from across the Northeast attend to learn how to be master this intense, complicated and very public leadership position. One of their favorite take-aways from the Drum Major Academy was that sports teams all have “captains,” but only the Marching Band has “majors.”

Specht said one of the hardest parts of their job is to correct marching band members when they are doing something wrong.

“People tend to take it personally,” she said and, at times, friendships are put at risk. But their hard work and expert direction propelled the VTHS Marching Band to earn first place in the Yamaha Cup, an annual competition held at Metlife Stadium. It was one of six competitions they performed in but by far the most coveted prize. This was the first year they have ever won.

“My freshman year, we came in next to last,” Specht said. “And we were cheering that we weren’t last.”

Only four years later, they bested all the other competitors to bring home the huge trophy. One of the reasons their shows’ scores have improved is that they commission the shows now. Key Poulan composes their music based on what they want. This year, they chose some hymns they liked and he created their new show called “Within the Shadows” based on those hymns. Then Drew Farmer, a drill composer, takes the music, considers the number of band members and color guard on the field, and comes up with the visual props and all the movements.

The color guard has become a more integral part of the Marching Band performance in the past few years, growing to an amazing nineteen in number.This year, the costumes they wore were the same costumes worn by dancers in the New York City Ballet, Miani said. Combined with the 87 musicians, Miani and Specht have their hands full. It is by far the biggest student activity at the high school.

Both Drum Majors do not direct the Marching Band at the same time; they take turns. Which means when one is directing, the other is on the field, Miani with the clarinet and Specht with the French horn. So they, too, have to master the steps and the music on top of their Drum Major duties.

What does it mean when they stand there waving their arms? They are keeping the tempo. And while all marchers cannot all face the Drum Major at the same time, the drum line never takes its eyes off them. Like Morse Code, they communicate the Drum Major instructions to the other members and sometimes, the way they hit their drums indicates a change or alteration.

They are not ashamed of the tag “band geek.” In fact, they take special pride in it. They still have a Disney World, St. Patrick’s Day and local Memorial Day parade to lead this year, but they say they have learned so much already.

Specht says she learned that if you work hard, you can get almost anywhere.

Miani agrees.
“If you dedicate all your time and heart to something, you will succeed,” she said.

Seems about the right ingredients to run the world.