After two decades of silence, the Old Forge School District’s marching band will take to the field.
It is a “fantastic opportunity” for the school and the borough, said Old Forge Superintendent Christopher J. Gatto.
The district has had instrumental music lessons and performances in the past, and even a pep band in the football stands last year.
Now musicians as young as fifth grade are spending the summer learning to march while playing.
“They’re getting used to it,” said teacher Kerry Gregory. “And they’re getting used to walking on beat, and being able to stay together. Because when you play inside, the sound doesn’t really bounce all over the place. It’s right in front of you. But when you are out on the field, you can’t trust what you’re hearing. You have to look up at the conductor. You have to know what’s going on.”
She expects between 17 and 20 students — including five percussionists and clarinet, flute, piccolo, trumpet and trombone players — to perform at every football game and some other events. More students play in the concert band, which performs indoors. They come from one of the region’s smaller districts, with a total enrollment around 950 students.
This season’s playlist includes the theme from “The Pink Panther” and a piece called “Dark Mission,” which the students enjoy.
The first performance is an Aug. 28 pep rally, with an away game the next day.
Senior Arya Patel and ninth grader Ainsley Armstrong both welcomed a chance to learn to play instruments at school.
Patel had experience with keyboards, but found it difficult to learn alone, she said by email. The return of the band gives her a second chance, now with the clarinet. She is pleased with her family and friends’ reaction to her new skills.
Armstrong plays “quads,” or a conjoined set of four drums. “I was excited that the band in the school was starting back up and I was interested in learning how to play an instrument,” she said by email.
Kenadie Johnson picked up the flute and the piccolo in hopes of entering ninth grade with a new hobby and new friends, she said by email.
Some band members are considering careers in music, including teaching. Playing clarinet in the West Scranton High School band is what set their teacher on her career path. Gregory wants her students to share the camaraderie of performing on the football field. “As much as it was cold, I still loved every second of it,” she said.
Large donations fund band’s return
The Foundry, the district’s alumni association, donated $15,000, a big chunk of the cost of instruments and other expenses.
The district also received a $3,000 grant administered by the Lackawanna County Department of Arts and Culture.
Some money comes from the district budget, but the figure was not available this week.
Gregory is planning to buy the band marching shoes. They have uniforms of navy blue pants and polos, with gold lettering on the shirts.
High school Principal Michael Griffith said the benefits go beyond the obvious value of learning music and showcasing their talents. It helps with “cross-curricular” learning, problem solving and critical thinking, he said.