The sound of drums banging and trumpets tooting in the background, as one walks by the band room. There’s chatter and laughs as the students begin to warm up with their instruments together after school. Band is a great learning experience as well as an opportunity to be welcomed into a whole new community. A group of people who are interested in some of the same things whether it’s a specific instrument or just playing music in general. 

“Band, it’s more about community than anything,” band Director Ryan Curtis said. “I mean, if we’re talking about marching band, it’s about community. It’s about a group of people looking out for each other. It’s about a group of people working together for a common cause. In concert band, you know about education of music, but it’s still more about community than anything.”

Joining band can be a big commitment, there’s lots of practice and time needed. Though if someone doesn’t gravitate towards other things in their community like sports, choir and or any other clubs of the sorts, this could be a better fit for them. 

“I think everybody should join something, and band is an option for a lot of students that may not gravitate to a sport or may not gravitate towards whatever it might be, Cub Scouts or something like that,” Curtis said. “I think everybody needs to be involved in something, and band gives those students an opportunity for something mental to challenge them and physical to challenge them.”

(Story by Sienna Randle)

Learning to play an instrument is difficult. The different keys, different ways to play and different care instructions make it one of the most tedious and accomplishing things to learn. Grace Gaghen, a senior and band section leader, plays five.

“I play the trombone, I play the trumpet, I play the flute, saxophone, and the piano,” Gaghen said.

She joined band when she was in fifth grade and was originally inspired by her dad to pick up the trombone. The other instruments she learned out of pure boredom.

“It was difficult to learn saxophone because it is a reed instrument, but it didn’t take me that long,” Gaghen said. “Flute’s pretty difficult because you have to get your embouchure just right.”

She admits though that the hardest part of playing is switching between them.

“It’s just a completely different embouchure for like, if I go from trumpet to saxophone, it’s just completely different,” Gaghen said.

Gaghen even switches for performances with FHN’s band. If you ever see her, you’re most likely to see her playing the trumpet as it is her favorite.

“It’s the most fun to play, and you always have melody,” Gaghen said.

But in the winter, she switched to trombone to play the loud instrument in the pep band at basketball games.

“Ill switch back and forth between instruments just to make sure I don’t lose it, so I can make sure I can play all of them.”

But all of this work is not just for fun, it’s planning for her future. 

“I want to be a music major, so it will benefit me because you have to learn all these instruments,” Gaghen said.

But playing so many instruments is not the only way she is getting ahead. Gaghen is also the section leader of the trumpets. She enjoys helping other people learn instruments and believes it’s a fun challenge.

“You should do it,” Gaghen said.  It’s fun, and then you have two instruments to learn, and it’s just kind of cool. It’s a cool thing to know.”

(Story by Abby Dunbar)

It’s the sound of music. The thumping of drums, the sound of brass instruments. 

It’s filling the football field, the hallway of the music room, and the hallways while dozens of clubs walk behind them during the Walk of Champions.

This is what Marching Band is all about.

At the center of it all, two drum majors who lead the band. One of those being Rylan Trotter, a junior. During football games and practices, he can be found standing in front of the various students and instruments, his arms and hands moving to the tempo of the music. His job is to conduct the band, making sure everything is on pace, occasionally switching off with fellow drum major Madeline Lee, junior.

“This is my first season as a drum major, I love it a lot,” Trotter said. “The drum major role, it’s a very big leader role, which is what I was wanting.” 

Trotter’s interest in marching band came from his mother, who had also been a part of it. He had decided to join his middle school band in 6th grade, however, middle school band wasn’t what Trotter was hoping for. By 8th grade, his fondness had declined.

“I said if I don’t like marching band freshman year, I’ll probably quit,” Trotter said.

So Trotter began his freshman year trying out FHN’s marching band. Then it was his sophomore year, and now what will be Trotter’s third year in FHN’s marching band, not just as a junior, but as a conductor of the whole band.

Trotter auditioned for the role as a drum major in February of his sophomore year, auditioning with a group of others interested in the role. 

“We had to conduct a couple of tempos, tell Dr. Curtis why we want to be drum major, what it means to be a drum major,” Trotter said.

To Trotter, being a drum major means helping the band director and the band however he can. 

“Drum major isn’t just the person that keeps tempo, it’s also somebody that Dr. Curtis can rely on whenever there’s no one else to help,” Trotter said. “Especially with passing out music, arranging stuff and the bus rides too. It’s also a big help.”

Two weeks after auditioning in February, Trotter found out that he had gotten the role. A role that he had wanted since his freshman year, and an opportunity for something great. His immediate response was happiness, as this role would mean more to Trotter than just a title, but a step towards his dream as a professional band director. 

“Music is just a big passion of mine,” Trotter said. “I love playing it, I love making it too…everything about it I love.”

(Story by Bri Taliaferro)