The Lisbon Marching Band will be competing in Class 2A this year, instead of Class 1A.
“We’ve had the numbers in our band steadily increase over the past few years, and we’re hoping those numbers and our continuing growing talent will make us more competitive in the new class,” said director Joseph Arch.
Lisbon will be participating in two marching band competitions this fall, but they’ll perform at home football games and playoff competitions throughout the season as well.
This year’s music is a compilation of Dire Straits songs, a compilation that Arch has been messing around with the past two years, and, when he pulled it off the shelf last year, other directors commented it would be the backbone to a really good marching band show.
“I tried a few of the arrangements out with the band last spring to see if it was something we could tackle, and many of them did well with that,” Arch said. “I always like having music that people in the stands enjoy listening to be one of the things we’re performing as well.”
Arch said the work the band tackles in marching band camp, which started the week of Aug. 8 and continues this Friday, is some of the most important work he does with his students all year.
“It’s where we learn the steps of our marching routine and work on the music,” Arch said. “It’s also where the incoming freshmen get welcomed into the band and expectations are set for everyone for the season.”
Drum majors Sam Cooley and Alli Silver are looking forward to the marching band season beginning this year, especially as the band steps up from Class 1A to Class 2A.
“I really love the music we’re playing this year,” Silver said. “It’s fun music to play, and we’re moving up from Class 1A in competitions to Class 2A in competitions, which means we’ll be seeing slightly larger bands.”
“I’m looking forward to the new competition we’ll face as a Class 2A band,” Cooley said.
Both Cooley and Silver noted marching band camp has been pretty great this year compared to years past.
“The weather hasn’t been excruciatingly hot, and it’s been pleasant outside for the most part,” Silver said.
The camp is a space for band members of all levels to remember the basics of marching – including the foot steps and patterns that accompany the music they are playing.
“It really helps us get everything together that will be part of our show,” Cooley said.
Lisbon Marching band advancing to Class 2A this year
August 18, 2022
About the Contributor
Nathan Countryman, Editor
Nathan Countryman is the Editor of the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun.