Marching band preps for UMD gig

• THHS band

The Two Harbors High School band has been gearing up for its now annual performance with the University of Minnesota Duluth marching band Saturday at the Bulldogs game. Photo by Brittany Berrens.

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The Two Harbors High School band has been gearing up for its now annual performance with the University of Minnesota Duluth marching band Saturday at the Bulldogs game.

The students have been practicing since the beginning of the school year. This Saturday, they’ll play with the marching band during the half time show of the 6 p.m. game at Malosky Stadium. They’ll play three songs with the marching band and help cheer the Bulldogs on by playing with the pep band throughout the game.

THHS band director Jan MacDonald says the students also get to learn different forms of marching than what they’re used to. She said the experience of playing with the college marching band is not only fun for students, but helps them become better musicians. “They find out that there’s music beyond high school,” MacDonald said. “The college students play with much more confidence and that’s instilled in the high school students.”

Senior Mason Schraufnagel, a trombone player, agrees with MacDonald. “It’s really helpful to see students that are active (musicians) at the college level,” he said. While Schraufnagel does not plan to attend college for music, he said he wants to be active in jazz and other bands.

The high school students were invited to play with the UMD band last year for a home football game, and the UMD marching band played alongside THHS students for the Agate homecoming football game last Saturday.

Junior Hannah Spiering-Broadbent plays saxophone in the band and is thrilled with the collaboration. “It makes you realize band is cool,” she said. “Especially being young and playing with the older band, you feel kind of honored.”

Other students are excited for the crowd that attends college football games. “It’s better playing for (UMD’s) crowds because they have more of an appreciation for band,” senior sax player Lucy Bukowski said. The students promise a high-energy, sing-along halftime show unlike what fans are used to seeing at a Two Harbors football game.

While the students haven’t had a lot of time to prepare, they said the UMD marching band members are gracious in learning parts. “They’re really good with helping us,” Spiering-Broadbent said. The students said the UMD band goes the extra mile to make sure everyone feels comfortable with the music and the marching, and don’t treat them as if they are high school students, but equals.

The THHS marching band will join other area high schools on the field Saturday. The marching band will also appear in the 50th annual Bayfield Apple Festival parade Oct. 9.

Tags: two harbors, schools, band, thhs