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By NOAH PARKER
Tiger Media Network
With the football team starting their season in the fall, they aren’t the only group practicing for nights under the lights. The FHSU Marching Band is also in full swing practicing for gameday performances.
Peter Lillpopp, the director of bands, has an exciting lineup of music, saying it’s “…inspired by and in honor of the homecoming queen.”
“We will be playing ‘Dancing Queen’ by Abba, ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ by Queen, ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’ by John Denver, and ‘Shake it Off’ by Taylor Swift,” Lillpopp said.
However, while classes have only been in session for a few weeks, the band has actually been on campus working on the show for four weeks, including arriving before classes begin.
“The FHSU marching band starts a week before classes begin in August with our preseason camp,” Lillpopp said. “This is where we learn marching and music fundamentals. We start rehearsing the music for the entire season and begin blocking out the drill for our pregame and halftime shows.”
With their first performance last Thursday, Lillpopp elaborated on the mood of the band before a performance.
“The veteran band members are excited to perform this year’s show and demonstrate all our hard work in front of the crowd,” he said. “The new members are obviously nervous because they have never experienced an FHSU gameday, but they will become more confident with every game.”
He related it to the football team, because like them, it’s a new group of members every year, so the vibe is always somewhat different.
“The band is the 12th member of the football team and our performances energize the crowd and the team at each game,” he said.
Lillpopp also had something to say to new members, as well as anyone potentially interested in joining the band.
“Being in a college marching band is a unique and rewarding experience,” he said. “It’s a lot of hard work and a big time commitment, but it is an experience you will remember for the rest of your life.”