The Charger marching band is composed of over 200 members and it wouldn’t be able to be as successful as it is without the help of the drum majors. Each year the band is led by two senior drum majors and two junior drum majors, but at the end of the year the seniors leave and the band is left with only two leaders. Every spring sophomores audition in front of the band to be the upcoming junior drum majors. The audition process takes two days to allow everyone to make it through. The applicants give a speech, then direct the band with vocal commands in the fight song short. Once all the auditions have been completed the band votes for the two people they think would make the best leaders in the fall.
One of the junior drum majors for the 2014-2015 marching season is sophomore Brindli Leonhardt. Leonhardt had known she wanted to be a drum major since before she was a student at DHS.
“Before I came to DHS I knew of the drum majors,” Leonhardt said. “I came to the football games and saw what they were doing. One of my good friends, Katey Workman, was a drum major and I always looked up to them. I thought it could be a good experience to lead the band and get to know people and the band better.”
Music has always been a part of Leonhardt’s life; she started band in fifth grade playing trombone but then she switched to the flute in sixth. After playing flute for a while she decided to try out other instruments such as the oboe and bassoon then went back to flute, which she has been playing for a total of three years.
Marching band presented an opportunity for Leonhardt to make friends when first coming to DHS as a freshman.
“As a freshman I had a bunch of friends coming into school from band camp,” Leonhardt said. “It’s really fun to be a part of something during football season and it’s nice because it gives you the chance to interact with people you wouldn’t normally interact with.”
This coming marching season Leonhardt is looking forward to improving the band for the common good.
“I really want everyone to be welcoming when new people come in,” Leonhardt said. “I want to be able to know people personally and help lead the band as a whole.”
The second assistant drum major for the upcoming 2014-2015 marching season is sophomore Andrew Wong. Wong knew he wanted to audition during the spring of his freshman year.
“I knew I wanted to audition last year because I watched the students audition and I thought it would be fun and I could see myself doing that,” Wong said.
Wong also wanted to be the first Asian drum major.
This coming marching season his goals include having fun and looking good.
“I think making things fun is what I’m all about,” Wong said.
Both drum majors recommend band to anyone who is looking for something to get involved with.
“I recommend band because it’s a networking system,” Wong said. “It’s a really great way to get to know people from different social circles and get involved.”
