The Blackfoot Marching Band of 2017-2018 is performing the show Frontier. It is under the direction of high school band adviser, Amanda Empey and Douglas Withrow, from the middle school. Withrow has written the music for the show while Empey wrote the drill.

Sousaphone player Kadan Davis (12) says that he “likes playing the music.”

Many said that the music is fun, and the band has been able to memorize their music much earlier than they have in previous years. For the students to have been able to memorize their music earlier than previously, they have had to put in a lot of hard work.

Martha Arnold (9) plays the flute and says that marching is a lot of hard work and there are many hard workers in marching band.

The marching band will be performing at its first competition, the Highland Clinic, on September 23. They are planning on four competitions for this year’s season.

Many of the students feel very confident about this upcoming competition on their home turf.
One of the drum-majors, Kayla Pack (10), is one of the youngest drum-majors (who are normally juniors or seniors) and says that the band is “super prepared.”

Empey says that the band “looks and sounds great.” She is also “excited about the sound,” and “likes how we are continuing on with that great sound tradition.”

The marching band has 40 students this year compared to last year’s 70, but this does not stop them from working hard on their show.

Empey feels that with the smaller band they are able to “hone in on some technique and skills” and “even though we are lower in numbers, we are high in skill level.”