HASTINGS — The Hastings High School Marching Tigers Band will be performing their “Echoes of Life,” show during the 2023 season.
On Thursday, Sept. 14, the members of the Hastings band were found on the practice field north of Hastings High School before the sun rose, working on their drill for their last movement.
Band Director Troy Ehmke, in his eighth year in the position, was directing the action from up above, ensuring that the students were hitting their marks.
Ehmke said the band is represented by 80 members this year, just slightly down in numbers from other years. The group is made up of a younger class, with a strong core of seniors, but Ehmke said the freshman have been eager to learn.
The 2023 Marching Tigers got their start in an eight-day band camp at the end of July and the start of August. The band worked on marching fundamentals, leadership and music; Ehmke noted.
As in the past, two students have been named to drum major: senior Bekah Evans and junior Camryn Horstmann.
Ehmke said the drum majors are the leaders of the band and work “to keep the vibes positive.” They also serve in several hands-on ways, like keeping the tempo consistent on the metronome, helping the different sections during practice if needed.
The Hastings marching band is performing the show “Echoes of Life,” which features three different songs by the band Coldplay.
Coldplay is a British rock band that formed in London in 1997. With over 100 million albums sold worldwide, Coldplay is among the best-selling music acts of all time.
Ehmke said their show is three movements, with a different song spotlighted in each.
The first movement features the song, “Clocks,” which reached number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, it is considered to be one of Coldplay’s signature songs.
The song “Lost!” is the song featured in the second movement; Rolling Stone noted this track as “the albums most sublime pop moment.” Ehmke said the drill in this portion is more flowing, as it follow the music.
The last movement is based around “Viva La Vida,” written in 2008 and features lyrics that contain historical references.
Coldplay bass guitarist Guy Berryman said of the track: “It’s a story about a king who’s lost his kingdom, and all the album’s artwork is based on the idea of revolutionaries and guerrillas.
The artwork used is “Liberty Leading the People,” based on the French July Revolution of 1830.
Ehmke said the drill in the last movement will be fitting for the finale and the music will reprise one of the earlier songs.
The Marching Tigers will attend four different competitions this 2023 season.
The band will travel on Saturday, Sept. 30, to take part in the Columbus Marching Band Festival.
Moving into October, Hastings will travel up Highway 34 to Grand Island to participate in the Harvest of Harmony parade and field competition on Saturday, Oct. 7.
The Harvest of Harmony Committee announced the theme of this year’s parade: “Celebration of Sound.”
The parade’s roots start back in 1938 when Chamber members decided to organize an event to promote goodwill among the area’s small towns.
On Saturday, Oct. 14, Ehmke said the band will take part in the Lincoln Public Schools Marching Invitational, a competition the band hasn’t been to in several years.
The LPS Marching Band Invitational has been around for 41 years and is open to several classes and sizes of bands.
The final competition of the season will be the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association State Marching Contest, on Saturday, Oct. 21. The west festival site will be hosted at Kearney High School.
“Bands compete in an open class event although individual class champions are announced and presented with an award. All participating bands receive a placement award and caption awards are presented for Best Percussion, Best Auxiliary, Best Music, Best Visual and Best Effect,” according to the NSBA website.
So far, the band has marched at two of four Hastings home football games this season, Ehmke said.
When asked about his band this year, Ehmke said “They are amazing kids and push hard every single day. They are excited to perform for all who show up.”