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Marching Into March

By Bella Ghile

Marching Band’s instantly recognizable uproars of upbeat music have resumed as of last Monday, March 1st. I was able to interview one of the band players, Eli Roberds. This is Eli’s fourth year of doing March Band, he is now a senior, so he has an extensive knowledge of Marching Band.


It was expected for Marching Band to reconvene on Monday, February 23rd, but this had been canceled due to weather conditions. Mondays will be the only day for students to practice with their fellow peers versus the multiple days of practice last school year, so it’s important that they spend time wisely. Marching Band is known for being very particular and precise when it comes to the steps because it’s necessary to know where you are while playing an instrument. The participants of Marching Band have quite a journey ahead of them, but Herndon pride will carry them on.

Although many things are in the air, there are set precautions to make sure everyone stays safe. One of them is that there will be a smaller number of students participating in Marching Band. At the start, there was already a decreased number of participants, because many of those students were uncomfortable with the current COVID conditions, and the other factor that was determined by students’ health situation. If they had any pre-existing conditions that would interfere with their or others’ safety, they were automatically exempt from participating.


“We will do all marching forms socially distanced,” Roberds added, and “wear[ing] masks” during practice. This system is questionable, because it is necessary to blow into the instruments, so how will it be done? Roberds responded, “for now we aren’t playing instruments, we are only working on our marching.” Many things are still left unclear, this is evident, and it is noteworthy that band instruments can easily spread COVID, so it’ll be hard to incorporate that safely.


As students of Fairfax County Public Schools begin the return to school, it’s only customary that football season resumes accompanying the main ensemble: Marching Band, but Roberds remarked, “we are unsure if we will perform at football games.” Marching Band serves as a mini half-time show, it isn’t a superbowl half-time show, but it still gives that entertaining edge, so if it doesn’t return, it will surely be missed.


Through all of this, Roberds is sure with his decision to return to Marching Band, “[They] are being very careful on dealing with the pandemic and keeping everyone safe.”


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