Many factors play into band director’s music choices

Practices for this year's high school marching band competitions began in August.

Planning for the events started as early as the end of last year's competitive season.

“When you think about all of the time that goes into it, not just practicing but selecting the music and putting the drill together, it's a lot of time,” said Steve Stickney, Linn-Mar High School band director. “But it's fun.”

Cedar Rapids Prairie High School Band Director Craig Aune began brainstorming for this year's show during winter vacation. He asked for ideas. He listened to music. He reviewed previous shows and considered his students' skills.

And he tried to do this all quietly, although his students knew what he was doing.

“The trick is to keep it hidden from them until you announce it in May,” Aune said.

It isn't easy, according to Marion High School Band Director Chad Allard.

“They always try to figure out what I'm thinking,” Allard said.

So maybe the directors provide some clues, or let their students think they do.

“I left an opera CD on my desk once,” Aune said with a laugh. “They were horrified.”

And while Aune hopes to tackle opera someday, it's progressive rock for Prairie this year. The marching band's performance - “Pinkest Floyd” - features four classic Pink Floyd songs.

Marion's band embraces Broadway with its “West Side Story” program, featuring seven songs from the popular musical.

Linn-Mar's program is a complete opposite from previous shows. The band that has played classical music the past two years goes heavy metal with “The Music of Metallica.”

It was a deliberate decision, Stickney said. School scheduling changes now have the band students practicing at 7:15 a.m.

“We practice a lot earlier, so we wanted to have music our students will really enjoy,” Stickney said.

Especially when its music they will hear, and play, again and again.

“I find myself humming the tunes in the car and switch on the radio,” Allard said. “My wife gets annoyed with me because I whistle the songs at home.”

“You want to pick a show that's not going to drive you crazy at the end of three months,” said Brett Messenger, Prairie's assistant band director.