When we think of the award-winning CCHS Marching Band, we think of famous composers.  Not often do we hear of students writing their own music for the band to play.

This year at CCHS, the students are helping create the Marching Band’s routine and composing the music as well.  Seniors David McEathron and Drake Martin, two members of the band, helped compose the music from one of their favorite bands, Snarky Puppy, into a mix that the band could play this fall.

“We decided on arranging the music from this band…which we’re all a big fan of. And from there we just kind of selected the songs we liked the most from them and worked to arrange it for a marching band format,” said McEathron.

The process took a long time, but both musicians said it is satisfying to have their work be something that is on display during football games and competitions this fall.

“David and I started about two months before summer break,” said Martin. “We were just going back and forth with ‘T’ (Band Director, Mr. Townsend) on different iterations of the music.”

Mr. Townsend was pleased with the idea the band members presented to him and happy to have them contribute to one of the group’s largest areas of focus. “Having students involved, they’re so heavily invested in that not only is it teaching them how to do the composition and how to do the arranging, but it’s also to make sure that they understand that they’re not just arranging that it’s for a marching band.”

The field show was performed for the second time last Friday at the football game against Centralia and for the first time in a competition on Saturday at the Drums at AppleTime in Mursphyboro.

Be sure to congratulate Drake and David on their hard work and success on making this field show.