The lifeblood of any Friday night football game is the energy of the fans, and one of the major providers of this is the Washington-Liberty Marching Generals. But behind the scenes, the group works to develop not just skill levels, but a common culture.
Since mid-August, the ensemble has rehearsed for multiple days a week, focusing on music, drill and stage presence. In addition to learning the halftime show, they must memorize several songs to be played throughout the football game itself, known as stand tunes. Beyond the football games, however, they compete in competitions across Virginia. The first competition occurred on Sept. 28, in which they placed third with a score of 82.53. The second competition happened on Oct. 11, where they placed first with a score of 83.90.
This year’s show, titled Avast!, is a pirate-themed show with excerpts from “One Piece,” “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “The Wellerman.” It features a flute solo, an alto saxophone duet and a trombone quartet. The band, made up of over 70 members, began its training a month before school started. Now, they have rehearsals at least three days a week.
With all of this extra work, some may stray away from the activity, but this is not the case for sophomore saxophonist Sophie Chafong.
“It’s a big commitment that takes up a lot of my time, but it’s fun, and I think it’s worth it,” Chafong said. “It’s kind of tough to learn, especially if you’re a beginner, but with time, you’ll get it.”
Up to this point, the Generals have only completed a small portion of the total season, but in the coming several weeks, their schedule will increase. The extensive rehearsal schedule will continue, but the performances will become more frequent. Several weekends require late-night football game shows, followed by competitions early the next morning.
Despite all the extra work required to keep up with the demanding schedule, the culture of the band has changed for the better. Junior Natalie Flashberg serves as the baritone section leader for this year, and she’s noticed this difference.
“Overall, the band has felt more focused and collaborative, which helps us accomplish a lot more in little time,” Flashberg said. “I think the attitude has changed since last season for both the staff and the student[s] in a positive way.”
Compared to the past few years, the goals of the Marching Generals have become loftier. Not only has the training schedule increased, but so have the expectations of success. This year, they plan to compete in five total events. To meet these greater aspirations, they have focused more on technique and dance style, with the help of the visual tech, Ms. Laping.
“The focus is on a whole other level this year…we’re making a lot quicker progress because we’re having more focused reps,” Laping said. “The new visual technique [has really] taken off. I think people are really buying into what we do.”
As mid-season approaches, this focus becomes more crucial for progress. As the school begins to take a more competitive stance in the band scene, each student’s hard work becomes increasingly more relevant over time.
“My goal is just for everyone to have that feeling like they gave it their all and there wasn’t anything more they could’ve had to give,” said Laping. “And at the end of the season, to feel really proud of the work they put in and the product they produced.
