The St. Joseph-Ogden Marching band had a dream-come-true kind of season.

It wasn’t just because they took third place at the University of Illinois Marching Band Competition. It wasn’t just because they placed second and received recognition for Best Music at the McKendree University Small Band Marching Competition.

Their dreams did not just come true because they put on a great show at the Normal Marching Band Invitational, taking second in Class 2A and best in class for Color Guard and Percussion or because they placed third at the Morton Invitational or third in 2A at Washington Community High School.

The accolades are something that propelled the Spartans through the long two-month competition season. But the day-to-day, the friendships, the doing-something-you-didn’t-think-you-could and bringing to life something surreal under the leadership of Director Chuck Hess are what the teenagers already know will stay with them for a long time.

First-year drum major Tyson Madsen set down his trumpet for his junior year to fulfill his dream of leading the group.

“Ever since the very first day of marching band camp my freshman year, I looked up to the drum major and wanted to become one,” Madsen said. “Knowing that I would be given the opportunity to help the band grow and help them have a good experience with music was a major factor.”

The family-like atmosphere that permeated the 51-member band this year led all members to give their all to make sure that their show was something special for the St. Joseph-Ogden community.

Madsen said the change from band uniforms to costumes, marching to music, to telling a story was something that drew everyone in.

The Spartans performed in red-tail coats and grey Victorian wigs to tell the story of musicians who sold their souls for success and fame. Upon death, the musicians are resurrected every hundred years to perform as the price for their bargain.

Although Madsen had his back turned to the crowd so that he could lead the band, the way the SJ-O crowd reacted to the band’s opening performance at the first home football game on Aug. 30 will be something he will remember forever.

“In previous years, halftime for most of the crowd was when the band comes on, you leave to do whatever you need to do, and maybe you catch the last bit of the show when you come to sit back down,” Madsen said.

“Some band members and I were worried that this year might be the same way. We tried to build hype throughout the school for the show, but there was no telling if people would actually pay attention.”

As the Spartans took the field, playing through their first song, they knew the crowd was larger than it had been in recent years, but they didn’t know what to expect.

“Until the end of the first song, I had no idea if people were even paying attention,” Madsen said.

“I just blocked it out and focused on the performance. The moment we ended the first song and had a pause, there was an applause much bigger than any we had ever gotten. I froze, and all I could do was smile.”

Madsen waited to begin the second song so that his peers on the field could take the moment in.

“That was the first of many large applauses we got this season and a feeling that I will always remember,” he continued.

The post Tyson Madsen looks back on dream come true marching band season first appeared on SJO Daily.

For high school marching bands across the nation, knowing how to march and play an instrument are just a start.

It’s the foundation; the building blocks for something more.

In years past, the St. Joseph-Ogden High School marching band entertained crowds and judges with pop hits.

But this year, the crowds can expect something more.

Under the direction of Band Director Chuck Hess and color guard coach, Kyle Ayers , the SJ-O marching band will step into the trend of storytelling.

After watching a program in Florida tell the story of infected zombies, Hess, in his second year as band director, decided to take the plunge.

“I really wanted to find a show that the kids would enjoy doing, but would challenge them,” Hess said.

“It’s very challenging for them musically, and then just all the body stuff that we’re adding to it. It gives them plenty to sink their teeth into.”

Performers gathered for two weeks of band camp beginning July 22, ready to memorize charts.

By the time camp ends on Aug. 2, the performers will have completed the show as they add music from Bach, Beethoven and Mozart to their movements.

“It’s got this sort of spooky zombie-like kind of feel that we’re trying to capture,” Hess said.

Stepping out of their school-issued band uniforms and into red-tail coats and grey Victorian wigs, the band will tell the story of musicians who sold their souls for success and fame. Upon death, the musicians are resurrected every hundred years to perform as the price for their bargain.

“It’s a big change for us,” Hess said.

“I think it keeps the kids challenged, and it keeps them engaged,” he continued.

Hess is the first SJ-O band instructor to stay consecutive years in at least the last four years. Through consistency, he hopes to not only provide students with an engaging marching band experience, but also to teach them about accountability and responsibility along the way.

Tyson Madsen will lead the Spartans as the drum major in 2019.

Hess said that he began camp on Monday talking about a book he read called “Extreme Ownership.”

“I just hope that they really take ownership of their roles in the show,” he said. “There’s a lot of the character kind of things that we’re going to try and do, and it’s mostly fun.

“But in terms of their music, the color guard work that they do, they have to own their part in the show.

“With this show, I’m trying to give them a vehicle that they can really get behind. And feel like it’s going to take them somewhere.”

Hess said that the storytelling component will not only bring SJ-O up with current marching band trends, but also provide an enjoyable experience for both the crowd and judges.

Once school begins on Aug.16, the 51 band members will begin tidying up their performance between schoolwork and additional extracurricular activities.

“Once the school year starts, there’s just a lot,” Hess said. “I mean, kids get pulled in a lot of different directions. And there will be homework and class responsibilities, other clubs, other things the kids want to do in a small school.

“The best chance we have to make sure we were going to have a successful season is to try and get the show done before school starts. We can work on the cleaning it up, perfecting it, getting it ready for performances and competitions.”

SJ-O was scheduled to compete in four competitions in 2018, but two of them were rained out and their performance to end the season at the University of Illinois was held on a very windy day.

For the 2019 season, SJ-O will compete in six competitions: three in September and three in October, ending at the University of Illinois on Oct. 26.

The post St. Joseph-Ogden Marching Band ready to tell story first appeared on SJO Daily.