The GLHS marching band is a great example of a team and a true bond. Senior Wildcats, Regina Zezza and Jack Dixon have the chance to show their leadership skills this school year.
They both started their music careers early on in their lives. “I started my freshman year and I was in the marching band. I knew I wanted to do it since 6th grade and I was one of three trumpets freshman year,” said Regina. “I was kind of thrown into a leadership situation going into sophomore year as a trumpet captain. This year I really wanted to increase my responsibility and be a drum major.”
“I started in the pep band sophomore year. I started as clarinet because that’s the instrument I was most comfortable with. Then I joined the marching band the next year and stayed at Calrinet. Then throughout the pep band, I transitioned to sousaphone and alto saxophone and did a little of both. Then I tried out for drum major this year and got it with Regina,’’ said Jack about igniting his music career.
The close-knit bond the band shares conveys a sense of family. They are a true example of a fellowship and demonstrate true friendship. “I think being close is one of my favorite things. It’s really awesome,” said Regina. “I also like being all around this year as drum majors and not just confined to a section,” said Regina.
Every Friday the Marching band and colorguard perform spectacular halftime shows and keep the crowd engaged with fun pieces. “We each do two songs. I do ‘Dream On’ and ‘Don’t Stop’ and she does ‘Time Warp’ and ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’,” said Jack.
Stepping into a new leadership role is extremely exciting but comes with its challenges. “It’s definitely weird going from normal person to leader; they are your friends but you also have a job to do with them. Everybody is friends, and they’re amazing but we have to be in charge for a while and get it done,” said Jack.
Copious amounts of hard work, effort, and diligence go into achieving your goals. “It kinda started with us learning to conduct. We weren’t really supposed to do it together, but we just did. Together, we learned the different styles and ways to conduct. We learned to the national anthem and our school’s alma mater,” Jack shared about the process of obtaining this role. “We did speaking commands for marching and there was also a personal interview portion. All of the directors asked questions about how you would respond to certain situations. A lot of it is not only on the field it’s off the field too,” Regina added.
Jack and Regina are both extremely passionate and accomplished musicians and have done great things in their careers. They are role models to all those around them and set a great example for young aspiring musicians. We all know their hard work and dedication will help them to succeed in anything they do.
