HHS grads take ‘Loud is Good’ to Big 10 colleges

by Patty Reiman

Six Hudson High School graduates and former members of the Hudson Swing Marching Band are currently playing in six different Big 10 marching bands. According to retired HHS band director Bev O’Connor this may be a first.

“We have had kids march in college bands before. What is unusual is the number of kids who are in very visible Big 10 marching bands,” said O’Connor, adding that she knows of two graduates who march for Kent State as well.

“I want music to be a lifelong passion. We have many former students who play in other ensembles at college,” said O’Connor. “This is a legacy of the Hudson band program.”

Here’s a glimpse the six grads taking the Hudson Swing Band motto “Loud is Good” to Big 10 gridirons. 

Lucas Barton is a senior at the University of Maryland, majoring in computer science with a minor in mathematics. At HHS, he was the tuba section leader and a head senior squad leader. He now marches in the Mighty Sound of Maryland, and when football season is over, transitions to the university’s pep band for basketball and sometimes soccer and lacrosse. He’s also playing in the school’s concert band and Tuba Euphonium Ensemble.

For anyone who plays an instrument, Barton advised, “don’t stop playing when you leave high school. There are a lot of schools that offer musical activities. I recommend finding one that works for you and can give you a mind break after studying for hours on end.”

Will Bixby said he, “fell in love with marching band in high school.” Continuing school without marching band “simply seemed unheard of,” he added. “It’s almost like playing on a team, you never want to quit.”

While at HHS, Bixby was the marching band’s trumpet section leader and very active in choirs and drama. A sophomore psychology major, he now performs with Indiana University’s Marching Hundred and the Big Red Basketball Band. He enjoys the intensity of college bands where, “everyone actually wants to be there,” rather than for the course credit or to appease a parent, which often happens in high school bands.

Jacob Cox had to audition to join Northwestern University’s marching band drum line and is the bass drum section leader there, like he was at HHS. Cox wanted to keep playing bass drum because it is, “a unique experience you can’t get outside of marching band.” He also knew he would develop strong friendships based on common musical interests.

Cox, a sophomore double majoring in chemical engineering and integrated science, said college marching band isn’t all that different from his days of marching in high school: the sense of community is similar, and it’s meant to be fun. However, college marching band demands a great deal more of his time, especially for rehearsals, which Cox said was an adjustment.

Morgan Hudy, a 2022 HHS graduate, is wrapping up her first football season playing piccolo for the University of Michigan’s marching band. At Hudson, she was first chair in Wind Symphony and flute section leader in the marching band. She has faced the challenge of balancing academics with marching band commitments and still considers rehearsal time the favorite part of her day.

According to Hudy, Hudson prepared her for the rigorous demands of a college marching band, which includes having to compete each week against her fellow 400 or so band members for the opportunity to march in one of 276 halftime spots or 235 pregame spots. Even so, she said, marching band creates a sense of belonging.

“An instant family formed through shared love of music is truly special, and it’s breathtaking to see what I can accomplish alongside my best friends,” Hudy said.

Isabel Newby is also in her first year of college and marches in the Blue Band at Penn State University. Newby is double majoring in forensic science and criminology. During high school, she played trombone in the HHS marching band and was in Wind Symphony for four years. She also performed with the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra.

“It was the last football game in high school that I truly realized playing trombone wasn’t something I could give up and move on from so easily,” she said.

Newby made it through Penn State’s two-part audition (playing and marching) and attributed her marching success, in particular, to what she learned at Hudson.

“The biggest challenge that we prospective rookies faced was the high step march, which is the main marching style of HHS. I was able to improve upon what I already knew, rather than learn a completely new concept,” she said. “I cannot thank the HHS Swing Marching Band enough.”

Scott Snyder has marched for five years with Ohio State University, thanks to a COVID-related extension offered to affected band members. He learned to play mellophone as a college freshman after playing saxophone in high school. He performed in several OSU concert bands and travelled with one to Washington, D.C., where he played with the United States Army band.

“I knew deep down that marching band would be the small community I needed at a large university,” said Snyder.

Having earned a music education degree at OSU, he reflected on his Hudson roots.

“Hudson Schools care for the arts are the reason I can share my story with you. Marching band and others that I was a part of – jazz band, chamber orchestra, concert band – are what helped cultivate my musicianship.” ∞

Featured Photo: Scott Snyder plays the mellophone in the Ohio State University Marching Band. Photos submitted.