More than just music at WSU

Experiencing a Washington State University football game or sporting event would not quite be the same with a recorded playing of the fight song or without the steady beat of a drum line.

"Think about what would happen if there was no music," said Brent Edwards, co-assistant director of the Washington State University Marching Band.

The marching band delivers something unique not only to the university, but to the community as a whole. Edwards and his co-assistant director, Sarah Miller, are part of the team that builds that ever-spirited group of musicians.

Miller, a 30-year-old Augusta, Ga., native, moved to the Palouse three years ago to begin a teaching role at WSU and work with the marching band.

As a former marching band member herself, Miller has been playing the trombone since sixth grade. In addition to her role with the marching band, she also teaches trombone, directs the trombone choir and plays in the faculty brass quartet.

Edwards has a few more years as a Coug on Miller, as he originally arrived in Pullman for his undergraduate degree in 1997.

The 38-year-old Marysville, Wash., native received both his bachelor's and master's from WSU and immediately after completing his degrees accepted a full-time faculty role with the school. While he spent the majority of his early music days playing the saxophone, he switched full time to percussion after arriving at WSU and now leads the WSU drumline, including composing music for all four of the different lines.

Along with Edwards and Miller, the WSU Marching Band is also led by a team that includes the head director, a graduate student leader, the color guard instructor and two addition drumline leaders.

"We're basically herding 185 people everywhere," Miller said. "The logistical challenge itself is a lot."

Add on top of that learning the music itself, developing choreography for halftime shows and arranging and composing the various instrument parts, the marching band is a year-round job, not just a season-by-season task.

For football alone, planning the halftime shows begin in the spring, based around special game themes provided by marketing or holidays. They then begin composing their own arrangements of the songs to better suit their band and map out the formations. Once the season gears up, each show is rehearsed for about two to three weeks.

This year posed quite the challenge, with five home games in a row, leading to a lot of overlap in rehearsals, Miller said.

Edwards said balancing schedules for everyone involved can be a difficult task - especially for students who are dealing with class, work and band duties.

"We try to help support their goals by being able to take away other skills into the rest of their lives," Miller said.

Of the 185 marching band members, only 8 percent are majoring in music, with more than 60 majors in all represented, Miller said.

"It is a big time commitment, but nobody ever feels like it is too much," Edwards said. "They want to be here, so it is worth it to them."

Both Edwards and Miller agree the WSU Marching Band is about being "a part of something bigger than yourself."

"When I got here (WSU) I marched because it was a good place to feel at home," Edwards said.

"You go through so much together, both good and bad," Miller said. "There is something really bonding about that."

Miller said the marching band takes pride in being the heart of the student section.

"It is something a lot of people notice and appreciate," she said, adding it isn't surprising to hear disappointment when the marching band is out of town and have to miss a team's game.

"It's not so often you feel this much support from a community," Edwards said. "We get letters all the time."

For both Edwards and Miller, helping lead the marching band is also a chance to be inspired by a rewarding job.

"We get to represent the school of music in a really cool way," Miller said. "For people who won't search out the arts, we are able to bring it to them."

Edwards added there is something special about seeing their students from the time they are 18 to 22 or 23 and how "you've been able to pull them out of their shell or realize they are worth it."

The students are walking tall with a new confidence by graduation time, he said.

Samantha Malott can be reached at (208) 883-4639, or by email to smalott@dnews.com.