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Boardman marching band takes a rest, but the beat goes on
The Vindicator (Youngstown)
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Boardman High School 12th grade band member Melanie D'eramo plays the trumpet during a practice. She is among 275 musicians in the Marching Band who have split up into other bands and ensembles for the winter season.
The Vindicator (Youngstown)
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Boardman High School Director of Bands Thomas Ruggieri keeps the musicians busy throughout the year with concerts, competitions and other special events.
The Vindicator (Youngstown)
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Boardman High School 10th grade band member Alyssa Vivacqua plays bass during a practice.
The Vindicator (Youngstown)
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Boardman High School 12th grade band member Tony Colella plays trombone during practice. Celella is one of 275 musicians in the Marching Band who have split up into other bands and ensembles for the winter season.
The Boardman High School Bands — Freshman, Concert, Symphonic, Wind Ensemble and three Jazz — have a packed schedule the next few months.
Feb. 12: Ohio Music Education Association’s Solo & Ensemble Adjudicated Event.
Feb. 24-26: State Orchestra Contest.
March 10: Winter Concert of the Boardman Bands.
March 11-12: OMEA Band Contest.
April 5: Boardman High School Jazz Festival.
April 9: National Cherry Blossom Parade, Washington.
Source: Band officials
By Karl Henkel
BOARDMAN
Ten football games, the Chevy Cruze unveiling, Boardman Oktoberfest, a Cleveland Indians game, a Pittsburgh Steelers game. It’s been quite a season for the Boardman High School band, but it’s not quite over, and it never really is.
The marching band from the fall — 275-strong — has separated into the Freshman, Concert and Symphonic bands and the Wind Ensemble.
And though the musicians may not be as visible as they are during football season, now is when the real work starts; the “meat and potatoes,” as Director of Bands Thomas Ruggieri calls it.
“The classes are smaller; we are no longer concerned with marching and choreography, and we don’t have to do a new performance every week like we do during marching season,” he said.
Still, Ruggieri’s crew won’t be short on things to do.
“We organize many small ensembles and soloists to perform at the Ohio Music Education Association’s Solo & Ensemble Adjudicated Event [Saturday],” he said. “We take a small cross-section of the band to all four elementary schools to demonstrate instruments to the fourth-graders.”
And if there’s still time, which there is for about 55 students from all four groups, they join one of three jazz band ensembles. All three also are preparing for the Boardman High School Jazz Fest set for April 5.
Tony Colella is a member of one of the jazz ensembles, and he also plays in the Orchestra and Wind Ensemble and is a member of the Youngstown Youth Symphony Orchestra.
“I stay very organized,” said Colella, 17, who plays the trombone and takes percussion lessons. “I write everything down. I know where I have to be and when I have to be there.”
Melanie D’Eramo, 18, who plays in the Orchestra, Concert Band and one of the jazz ensembles and plays the trumpet and violin, said the year-round commitment makes them better musicians and allows the bands to participate in special events such as the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade in Washington on April 9.
She says having so many events woven into a packed schedule helps keep things fresh and the goals clear.
“I think it’s really good to have it like that because then you know what you have to have prepared for a certain time,” D’Eramo said. “For orchestra, we have state contests, and we know we have to play our best on that day.”
The schedule also can mean a potential for musicians to burn out, but Ruggieri said that’s part of the learning experience.
“Some of them — they already know they want to make music their career,” he said. “If they burn out, it may be a warning sign it’s not the field [to get into].”
That’s why one of Ruggieri’s jobs is to make sure the students don’t feel the day-in, day-out grind.
“We try to keep things fresh and give them varied opportunities,” he said.
Colella said he enjoys playing music.
“I know some jazz bands — they only meet a couple of days after school — and we’re lucky enough that we meet every single day,” he said.
D’Eramo added that though band members know the amount of time musicians put in each and every day, others often don’t recognize those efforts.
“For somebody that doesn’t do anything, they see the band and think, ‘Oh, they don’t do anything,’” D’Eramo said, “but we actually do a lot. “