Marching bands begin preparations for 2024 season

SHENANDOAH – Scholastic musicians and guard members are spending this week laying the foundation for what you’ll see under the lights in just a few weeks.

Band camp got underway for Shenandoah Valley, Mahanoy Area, and North Schuylkill this week. Members at all three schools have been practicing music, marching, and movements as the field shows begin to come to life.

Shenandoah Valley

Eighth-year director John Shoener told the Sentinel Tuesday that the Blue Devil Band is the biggest since he’s been director.

Fifty musicians, six flags, and eight honor guard make up the band this year from grades 6-12.

“We have some big things coming up,” Shoener said. “We’re doing the Bloomsburg Fair again, and the Gratz Fair, in addition to the regular football schedule and parades and whatnot.”

This year’s field show theme is “Viva Las Vegas.”

The namesake song opens the show followed by tunes from acts who have had residencies in Vegas: “Come Fly With Me,” by Frank Sinatra, “Welcome to the Jungle,” by Guns ‘n Roses, and “Dream On” by Aerosmith.”

“The kids seem to be really receptive to the music,” Shoener said.

North Schuylkill

Jacob Shoener, John Shoener’s brother, is entering his fourth year directing the Spartan Band at North Schuylkill.

A big year is ahead, he said, as they debut new Penn State-inspired uniforms and host two Tournament of Bands competitions at Ghosh Orthodontics Field at Spartan Stadium.

Jacob told the Sentinel Tuesday that his band, too, is the largest the school has seen in his tenure.

“Having that many kids involved, we’re trending in the right direction, which is great and exciting,” Jacob Shoener said, “For me as a director, to see the fruits of my labor in recruiting and trying to get kids to get interested in music all come together.” He also credited his staff.

North Schuylkill has two marching bands: a football band, and a smaller, more intensive competition band.

The football band has 102 participants this year across grades 7-12, of which 74 are musicians and 28 are guard.

The competition band has 27 musicians and eight guard members.

This year’s field show theme is Little Monsters, featuring the music of Lady Gaga.

Drum majors Erika Trexler and Avery Kaminski will lead the band onto the field.

North Schuylkill hosts its home Tournament of Bands competition on Oct. 12, and hosts Chapter 2 championships the next weekend on Oct. 19.

In addition to the home competitions, they will perform in a Cavalcade of Bands competition at Governor Mifflin in Berks County on Sept. 21, a Tournament of Bands competition at Shamokin on Sept. 28, and Tournament of Bands Atlantic Coast Championships in November in Hershey.

Mahanoy Area

Coming into Mahanoy City from Barnesville, you’re reminded at the railroad overpass that you’re entering Bear Country, and that’s this year’s field show for Mahanoy Area.

Chelsea Ferraro is directing the Mahanoy Area Golden Bear band for the sixth year this season and the band has around 50 members, the majority of which are in the bandfront.

“It’s a small group, but a mighty group,” Ferraro said.

This year’s field show, as the name might imply, is country music-themed, with Zach Bryan’s “Revival,” Sam Hunt’s “House Party,” and “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”

Ferraro gave credit to her “awesome staff” and band boosters.

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