Arts & Culture
Lehi High School Marching Band begins season with a win
Marissa Mallory | Lehi Free Press
This year the Lehi High School Marching Band is paying tribute to America’s favorite pastime, baseball. Their 2021 show titled Play Ball features music from A League of Their Own and What a Wonderful World, simulating the highs and lows of the beloved game.
Unique to this show, the performance starts with a jazzy saxophone duet by drum majors Alyssa Grace and Marissa Mallory. This element creates a fun environment but complicates musical timing across the field. Luckily, front percussion ensemble leader Sofina Child, and Drum Major, Ululani Condie conquer this challenge easily, leading the band through the first movement with meticulous focus and silent communication.
Band and Color Guard members warm up their pitching arms, catch fly balls, and even hit home runs, all while performing beautiful and intense music that sends the audience into rapturous applause. Dressed as baseball players, Color Guard’s perfect timing and synchronization are awe-inspiring, bringing smiles to the entire crowd.
Such a production is hard to pull off, but the band has put in enough work to make it look easy. First meeting in the heat of August and continuing almost ten hours a week throughout the school year, the Lehi High School Marching Band not only pieced together this complex performance but also earned first place in the 5A Open Division at the Oquirrh Mountain Front Invitational in Herriman. Last weekend, they also took second place at the Wasatch Front Invitational at Riverton High School (Cedar Valley took first, and Alta came in third).
The Pioneers also won the Musical Performance, Visual Performance, and Color Guard captions. Lehi Color Guard scored higher than any other guard the entire day, beating out all other schools.
When asked what she thinks of the show, Drum Major Alyssa Grace said, “I really like it. At first, I didn’t think we would be able to pull it off because I thought the idea of it was weird, but after hearing the music and seeing the drill, I love it.”
Don’t miss this breathtaking production. Come and see for yourself at the next competition on Saturday, Oct. 9, at Utah State University. For more competition dates and locations, visit www.lehibands.com; you won’t regret it.
