The Kickapoo Golden Arrow band has a long history of success that didn’t disappoint this season.

   Their show this year, Luminous, is revolved around the idea of light and gold. There are three movements, or different songs in the show, varying from slow tunes to fast-paced rhythms.

  After months of hard work, the band of 149 students of all grades and instruments showed what they’ve worked for at the competitions they performed at this year.

   “That’s the payoff- you do all of this just for the seven minutes that you’re on the field,” junior Jacob Hall said. “That’s where you’ve got to make it all count.”

   Marching band is a combination of playing difficult pieces of memorized music while marching and doing choreography. This creates a larger visual effect for the audience to enjoy. 

   “Rather than sitting in a chair and playing something, you actually have to do something with the music, like make the music move,” junior Kinsey Keeling said.

   There are a lot of different components that have to work together for the show to go smoothly. One of these is the drum majors. 

   The drum majors this year, Polaris Rissler, McKenna Hunt, and Riley Rector, are responsible for keeping the band together musically. 

   “Drum majors are the bridge between the actual students and staff.” junior Riley Rector said.

   All three drum majors are on a raised platform and use their hands to keep time as a visual metronome for the band.

   “It’s nice to be able to feel like you have an important role in the band,” junior McKenna Hunt said. 

   Being a drum major is a  leadership position in the band and these students do their part to help the band succeed.

   “It makes me feel good about myself cause it makes me feel like I’ve contributed more to the band being successful,” Hunt said. 

   The band performed at four competitions in September and October, all around the midwest, and placed in finals in all of them. 

   “If you do make it to finals, afterward it’s really relieving just because you’re done and usually it’s better than your first run so it’s rewarding,” junior Camilla Fuentes said. 

   Marching band not only gives these students a musical and athletic outlet but also a community. 

  “You spend time with the people that you normally otherwise wouldn’t,” Hunt said.

   Between during and after-school practices and long days spent traveling and performing, by the end of the season this band is more of a family than a class. 

   “All in all, we come together, we all do something that we like together and we have a lot of fun,” Rector said.