Laura Knoll is visiting Jennifer Fry in Columbus this week. Today, Jennifer, Laura, and I had the pleasure of spending the evening with "The Best Damn Band in the Land!" The OSU Marching Band, aka "Pride of the Buckeyes", numbers 225 college students, 196 of whom perform at any one time. We sat while they practiced for about an hour in the great band room they have. Then we followed them out and watched them practice for a couple of hours on the practice field. They were really terrific!
These young adults practice 2-3 hours a day, four or five days every week, and less than 20% of them are even music majors! Even so, there is very strong competition both in determining who will become band members and in which members will play from performance to performance.
Jonathan Waters, Assistant Director of the OSU Marching Band for eight years, is a friend of Jennifer's through her work in the music industry. He introduced Laura to the entire band as a future prospective band member! He gave her a CD and a t-shirt and gave us permission to go up the three-story open viewing tower at the practice field. It was a beautiful November evening and we enjoyed a GREAT view!
Jon Woods has been OSUMB Director for 26 years after being assistant director for 10. Mr. Woods came over and introduced himself to Laura. He asked her a few questions about herself, and he recommended the baritone as an instrument she might like to play. He had no idea that Laura's mother Tina played baritone in high school!
Many thanks to Jennifer and Jonathan for making possible this super fun evening with TBDBITL!
Here's the Ohio State University Marching Band practicing their fabulous "Script Ohio."
These young adults practice 2-3 hours a day, four or five days every week, and less than 20% of them are even music majors! Even so, there is very strong competition both in determining who will become band members and in which members will play from performance to performance.
Jonathan Waters, Assistant Director of the OSU Marching Band for eight years, is a friend of Jennifer's through her work in the music industry. He introduced Laura to the entire band as a future prospective band member! He gave her a CD and a t-shirt and gave us permission to go up the three-story open viewing tower at the practice field. It was a beautiful November evening and we enjoyed a GREAT view!
Jon Woods has been OSUMB Director for 26 years after being assistant director for 10. Mr. Woods came over and introduced himself to Laura. He asked her a few questions about herself, and he recommended the baritone as an instrument she might like to play. He had no idea that Laura's mother Tina played baritone in high school!
Many thanks to Jennifer and Jonathan for making possible this super fun evening with TBDBITL!
Here's the Ohio State University Marching Band practicing their fabulous "Script Ohio."