As one of Xavier High School’s largest marching bands in school history, XHS’ Marching Band continues to improve their craft in their 2016 show, Broadway Blockbusters. This year’s show includes the songs: “My Favorite Things”, “Aquarius”, “Let the Sunshine In”, “Jet Song”, and “Bohemian Rhapsody” Throughout the season, the band competes in multiple area competitions, including a double performance day at the Marion and Linn-Mar competitions, the Five Seasons Invitational, and the State Competition. The band earned second place and best drum line at Marion, fifth at Linn-Mar, seventh at the Five Seasons Invitational, and received a Division I rating at State on October 8.

“We earned a 74.8 out of 100,” band director Ms. Kelli Swehla said. “A Division I rating is the highest rating awarded to marching bands. A score above 68.0 earns a marching band a Division I rating.”

The band performs their show at all regular season home football games. They also perform in pep band during the first half of the game.

“I thought our performance went pretty well considering all of the weird schedule and circumstances we faced,” senior Drum Major Connor Miller said. Miller was selected his junior year to be drum major, and he continues in that role this year. The junior drum major this year is Sarah King.

“We’re constantly trying to perfect not just our music, but the marching especially,” Swehla said.

Marching band practices out on the field during first period in season and also attends before school practices three days out of the week.

“We’re trying to keep it something that even at the very last show, the kids enjoy playing and the audience enjoys it just as much,” Swehla said. Marching band’s last half time show performance of the regular season is October 14.