HHS Band: A Big Part of Game Day in Harrison

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Watching a movie without sound effects would be like watching a football game without the sounds of a marching band. Like a compelling soundtrack, good marching bands are not created overnight.

The training regimen of the Harrison High School Husky marching band is not unlike the training of their athletic counterparts, beginning with a spring season. Band directors Dr. Fred Pasqua and Charlie Briem evaluate the returning students and the incoming freshman to determine strengths and weakness in positions, not running backs and defensive ends, but rather strong flute players or saxophonists. Together Pasqua and Briem spend time choosing music, identifying arrangements, and blocking out the show, not unlike the X’s and O’s strategies of the football team. 

This year’s stadium show theme, “Bewitched”, centers on conflict and exploring Broadway in a new way. The theme highlights popular music from The Wiz, Wicked and West Side Story, the type of music the Harrison community wants to hear and the music students want to play. 

A one-week is conducted in late August to begin learning the formations of this intricate show.

“We are different from many marching bands,” said Briem. “Others tend to select music that they think will impress judges. Our music has great complexity and entertains our audience. We feel that if we don’t reach our students and our audience, then it’s a wasted opportunity.”

The focus on stadium music performance is steeped in academics. The directors teach to national standards and students are evaluated with national assessments. On a student’s schedule, band is a full academic period every day of the week and practices are also conducted after school. It is no longer just a bullet-point on a resume, it is a conduit to college.

Like their football counterparts, the Harrison Husky Band “breaks down” game film, looking for symmetry and alignment as well as areas for improvement. They also learn from their mistakes. Last year, the football team received a penalty for “unsportsman-like conduct” for a band misstep.

“We received a penalty flag for playing at the wrong time,” said Briem. “So I sent e-mails to 15 Division I college band directors and received 15 immediate responses on rules for the band to follow during the game.” 

Pasqua and Briem developed a research project for the students to investigate how individual colleges handle cheer. As a result of their research, the band has adopted the more conservative NCAA Southeastern Conference (SEC) model, which most closely fits the style of Harrison’s football team.

“At the end of the day, we learned that the rules are very clear,” said Briem.  “We can only play when our team is on offense. There is a very specific amount of seconds we can play so we had to edit the music and cheers to fit that requirement. We do not want to be a distraction for the players in the huddle.”

Pasqua and Briem are working closely with the athletic office, the football parents, and the cheerleaders to create the best possible atmosphere at the games. 

“At the end of the day, we are all Harrison,” Briem said.