EPHS marching band celebrates 60th anniversary

To celebrate 60 years since it was founded, Eden Prairie High School‘s (EPHS) marching band is inviting the community to two musical events on Oct. 13 and 16.

The band’s anniversary celebration coincides with the 100th anniversary of Eden Prairie Schools. “It’s a nice alignment of those two milestones,” said Renee Rushdy, president of EPHS’ Band Parent Organization.

“We want to celebrate our current band kids and our past band kids,” she said. “We hope former band members and their families will come to see what the marching band looks like and sounds like now.

“But the kids way back when are so similar to the kids now. Band kids are always band kids, and they’re great.”

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EP Band Night is Oct. 13

The first event is EP Band Night, to be held this Friday, Oct. 13, at Aerie Stadium during the Eden Prairie home football game. The song list includes “The Star-Spangled Banner,” crowd favorites like “Sweet Caroline,” “Seven Nation Army,” “Eye of the Tiger,” and, of course, the EP Rouser.

The performance schedule will be:

• 6 p.m.: The Eagle Band will parade with cheerleaders, pom squad, and the dance team to
  the stadium.
• 6:15 p.m.: The Eagle Band will perform for the pep rally on the grassy knoll for fans and television cameras.
• 6:45 p.m.: The Eagle Band will parade around the track.
• 7 p.m.: The Eagle Band will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” on the track.
• 8:15 p.m.: The marching band will perform on the field at halftime.

Marching Band Indoor Concert is Oct. 16

The second event is the Marching Band Indoor Concert, to be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 16, at the EPHS Small Gym. This will be the marching band’s last performance of the season.

First, the two ninth grade bands will perform pep band tunes. Then, the Eagle Marching Band will perform this year’s show, “Terra Nova” by John Meehan. While the musicians play, the color guard will perform their routines.

‘Every single person is integral’

Rushdy’s son Adam is an EPHS senior who plays snare in the marching band, and her daughter, Izzy, now a college senior, was also a member. Rushdy said marching band has been the “pinnacle of their high school experience” and that they made some of their best friends through the program.

As with many sports and competitive activities, band kids “bond through challenge together. They have to work so hard to do something really well and try to be their best. That brings people together in a special way,” Rushdy said.

However, unlike many sports and activities, when the marching band performs, “every single person is integral on the field,” she said. “If somebody is missing that night, there is literally a gap where they would be performing. Yes, the show goes on, but they are visibly missing.”

And marching band has no replacements, substitutes, or understudies. “Everybody plays at all times,” she said. “You never have anybody on the bench. That’s pretty special, too.”