A successful season for the Pipestone Marching Arrows came to a close in front of a full house, Nov. 3, during the annual Indoor Marching Concert at the high school gymnasium.
The final performance of the Song of Hiawatha tribute season also marked the end of the first year under the direction of new band director Mark Diischer. What began as a season of uncertainty with a new director ended with nothing but praise for what he and the 64-member band accomplished.
“We thought it would be tough to adjust,” said Jacob Schneider, a junior saxophone player. “But he brought a lot of energy and pizzazz that Pipestone hadn’t had in a long time and we took it and ran with it. I think we had a banner year this year.”
“I honestly thought the season was not going to be as good as others, but I think he proved that he could take this position and handle the Pipestone band,” said Megan Jennings, a senior saxophone player.
Handle the band he did, guiding them to six first, two second and a third place finish in Class AA; seventh and eighth place finishes overall and numerous awards for outstanding visual performance, drum line, color guard, winds, percussion, drum majors and horn line during seven competitions.
“I’m very happy with the way the kids have been working,” Diischer said. “The seniors helped a lot because they provided leadership in a time of transition.”
Senior band members include Rebecca Spanier, Meg Jennings, Meg Viland, Michael Dollarhide, Alyssa Petterson, Tyler Olivier, Katie Foss, Cassie Griebel, Amber Traversie, Beth Peterson, and Brianna Slinger
Diischer and the band members agreed that the highlight of this transitional season was the Festival of Bands in Sioux Falls on Oct. 3.
“In Sioux Falls I was actually crying during the finals, which for me, not being a very emotional person, is kind of weird,” said Meg Viland, senior clarinet player.
The performance had such an effect on her, she said, because she realized it was her senior year and she was saddened by the fact that it’s the last time she would perform with her band mates in the Sioux Falls Festival of Bands.
“It’s amazing how if you’re in band you become like a family,” Viland said.
Beth Peterson, senior drum major, said she too will miss her band family when she moves on after graduation next spring.
“It was a really good season and I’m going to miss it next year,” she said.
It’s that feeling of closeness and camaraderie, rather than the placements and awards, that is most important, Discher said. It’s the friendships, discipline and life lessons about teamwork that he hopes students take with them from their band experience.
That discipline and teamwork is one of the traits that made the Festival of Bands so special to Diischer. In the afternoon performance, he said, the band didn’t perform up to their full capability, but when they took the field later in the evening during the finals, the band refocused and “played their hearts out,” he said.
As the marching band season comes to an end, the band will do less competing and shift their focus to their holiday performances. Holiday performances kicked off Wednesday during the Veteran’s Day presentation at the high school and in about three weeks, on Dec. 6, the band will hold its annual Holiday Band Concert with grades 5-12.
Five students will also perform in the Augustana College Concert Band Festival Friday and Saturday in Sioux Falls. Every year band directors from Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota select members of their band to participate in the two-day event. Diischer selected Michael Dollarhide, Samantha Berg, Samantha Johnson, Zach Ploeger and Spencer Kruse to represent the Marching Arrows.
Diischer also hopes to meet with band members and their parents later this month to talk about his goals for the band and to get to know the parents. He already knows many of the band parents through their participation in the performances and competitions and said their enthusiasm is much appreciated.
“I’ve always heard that Pipestone has great fans, but I’ve gotten to see it in action and see that the reputation is well deserved,” Diischer said.
He also expressed his thanks to Evan Hofman who assists with the drum line, Lori Ilse, who works with the color guard, the staff who helped make the season such a success and Mike Hench for helping make the transition go as smoothly as possible.
“It’s been a great season,” Diischer said. “It’s been a great first year.”
2009 Marching Arrows individual honors
Outstanding Seventh or Eighth Grader Nate Baatz
Outstanding Ninth Grader Zach ploeger
Outstanding Tenth Grader Becky Jennings
Outstanding Eleventh Grader Justin Ilse
Outstanding Twelfth Grader Michael Dollarhide
Outstanding Winds Player Becca Jennings
Outstanding Brass Player Alex Bauer
Outstanding Percussionist Molly Wagner
Outstanding Drumline Member Justin Ilse
Outstanding Color Guard Claire Haubrich
Outstanding Marching Award Alyssa Petterson
Most Improved Seventh or Eighth Grader Jared Schiebout
Most Improved Ninth Grader Jaden Carlson
Most Improved Tenth Grader Darla Disbrow
Most Improved Eleventh Grader Heather Evans
Outstanding Spirit Zach Ploeger
