Local high school musicians take to the practice field
COSHOCTON COUNTY – The Ridgewood High School Marching Generals took to the practice field with a round of stretching and calisthenics Tuesday afternoon, the first day of the new school year.
With the temperature peaking in the mid 70s and a slight breeze blowing, band director John Lindig steered his charges through their brief pregame show in preparation for Saturday’s home game in West Lafayette against the Bellaire Big Reds, set to start at 7 p.m.
The new school year brings with it a new football season, which opens this weekend for Ridgewood, Coshocton and River View high schools.
Up until this week, the weather during marching band practice hasn’t always been so pleasant. The Ridgewood woodwinds have been practicing since July, while the percussion and flag corps have been working all summer, Lindig said. During band camp the week of July 13, the Marching Generals practiced from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with three hours off for meal breaks.
By comparison, Tuesday’s practice was a walk in the park. Well, maybe not. Intricate, extensive and repetitive blocking sent the marchers up, down and across the field over and over, toting their instruments, when not standing and playing.
Flutist Shyann Boone, a senior, said she enjoys the time she spends working and playing with her bandmates.
“I like how close we get to each other,” she said. “It’s almost like a family, because we spend so much time together — and I like going to competitions, too.”
The Marching Generals will compete in their first competition of this new school year on Sept. 26 at Licking Valley High School. This year’s theme for the competition show is Train Tracks, Lindig said. That show will include “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” “Take the A Train” and a brief snippet of “Chattanooga Choo Choo.”
About half of that show will debut at halftime Saturday. The pregame show will feature “This Is My Country” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Lindig has taught at Ridgewood for 20 years, and he has served as band director for 16 years and as assistant director for four years before that. This year’s band has 55 members, counting the color guard.
He said he hopes the band will serve as a source of pride for the community, and he noted that it has competed at the state level for 26 consecutive years.
“We work very hard to stay at a level where people are happy to listen and hear our show,” he said.
Coshocton County’s three high school band directors have at least three things in common: All three are dedicated to music, teaching and their alma maters.
All of them, including River View’s Keith Watson, graduated from the high schools they now teach in, according to Barry Hardesty, a 1983 graduate of Coshocton High School and now the director of the Coshocton High School Marching Band. Hardesty spent four years in the band, then starting in 1986 served as assistant director before spending the past 15 as director.
“I’ve been at least somewhere near this band since 1979,” he said. “It’s part of me.”
Two of his children march in the band. A third, Miles, a senior, plays in the jazz and concert bands but can’t participate in the marching band because he plays on the football team as a wide receiver and defensive back.
Coshocton’s band, 43 members strong, was scheduled to practice Thursday evening to prepare for Friday’s season opener, set to start at 7 p.m. at Fairless High School. The first pregame show will feature “Chief,” “War Dance, War Paint” and the fight song. This week’s halftime show will include Santana’s “Evil Ways” and the McCoys’ “Hang On Sloopy.”
This year’s competition show, themed Legends of the Underground Railroad, will feature “Go Down, Moses,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Wade in the Water.” The CHS band’s first competition this school year is set for Sept. 12 at Philo High School.
In keeping with tradition, seniors will select the repertoire for the band’s last halftime show this year.
“Lately, we’ve been doing one song with River View for the last game of the season,” Hardesty said, “which is fun, too.”
River View kicks off its season at 7 p.m. Friday at Heath High School.
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