Imagine a job that involves waking up early in the morning, riding a bus for two and a half hours and pressing a freezing cold instrument to your already numb lips. Some job, huh? Welcome to marching band.
Band members must love their music, though, because they spend their weekends in the blowing wind and the freezing weather, bundled up with layers of warm clothes under their uniforms.
"It was darn cold," said junior Nick Hanson of the band's Oct. 12 trip to the University of Montana's homecoming game. "You could see your breath coming out of the end of your horn."
"I like playing at football games," said junior Maggie Brierley. "It is exciting to get the whole crowd excited."
The band left at 5 a.m. for Missoula. Once there the band moved downtown to play in the two-mile homecoming parade, playing four songs continually. Four other bands joined Flathead for their performance during half-time at the homecoming game.
"The American Symphony (song) was hard," said sophomore Dayleene Wilson. "I was mad that the football game got put on TV but the half-time show didn't."
"The game was fun, but I wouldn't have minded in joining in on the tailgate parties," said junior Lars Berger.
For the marching band to march at football games it takes weeks of practice. The band practices music for five to six days in class before marching on the football field for two tothree weeks. The band uses streets around the high school to practice. Street marching is more difficult than field marching because there are no lines on the streets for the students to use as marching guides.
"The kids learn how to push themselves making music and moving at the same time," said Band Director Allan Slater. He said that there is "the sense of pride you gain from being part of a very successful and excited group of performers."