Strike up the band: student musicians return to band camp
After a year of pandemic disruptions turned down the volume on school music programs, marching bands across Butler County are back on the field and back at practice.
Mars Area School District Marching Band director Dave Soose says that there's a “newfound excitement” among students, who are now able to play and perform in a typical capacity.
“Band this year is definitely looking a lot closer to normal than it was last year,” he said. “Last year was tough for a lot of kids.”
Last year, the Mars band had to make a lot of accommodations for safety, mask-wearing, and social distancing, and cut down on all travel. The group only performed in public five times total.
As of now, the Mars Area Band is planning to travel to all away games as well as to attend competitions, including the national Bands of America competition in Ohio. The band will parade in Kennywood this weekend.
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