The peaked in high school meme describes those whose personal popularity and successes post-high school pale in comparison to the best four years of my life. BMOC, stud athletes, cheerleaders cool kids, whom all repeat their worn-out stories to emphasize how important they are were (or perceived to be) during those glory days. Today? Lives in same area (sometimes same house), maintains same friendships, drinks the same cheap beer. Unable to move on because the real world doesn’t appreciate their bygone accomplishments. Living in the past because living in the present is unrewarding. Often the most uninteresting people whom you’d rather not interact with.
I am not that person: never athletic, never cool, never fashionable, socially illiterate, where graduating high school meant college and taking life’s step. Since, I graduated college, moved to Minnesota, worked, married, lived. Prior to my mother’s death, I had (very) sporadic contact with few classmates. I did not attend high school reunions. Life continued without reverting to those days. Thankfully.
The one exception: marching band! Absolutely no question, I am definitely a band geek!
East Central High School in Miles, Iowa had outstanding music programs led by some incredible directors whom, year in and year out, got hormonally-charged teenagers to somehow deliver performances beyond realistic expectations for a small, rural school district. The music program required a separate trophy case for awards and trophies, dwarfing anything the athletics teams delivered.
[Background story: the choir teacher moved to the neighboring (and larger) school district when my high school began grade sharing, turning a run-of-the-mill choir program into the coolest extracurricular, apparently getting more than 80% of the student body involved with choir and swing choir. Now that’s a director/teacher/leader!]
The Raider Regiment Marching Band, was good, really good, consistently getting Superior ratings at the annual State Marching Band Festival, once finishing second in an all-class parade competition against much larger schools. We were good and we knew it, arrogant but justified (IMO). In 1981, my junior year, our halftime show was:
- Opener: Pictures at an Exhibition
- Drum Ensemble: Bit ‘O Rhythm
- Concert: Piece: Birdland
- Closer: Over the Rainbow
One judge commented on his judges’ cassette, in both surprise and awe, that we had no business pulling off what we just pulled off. In fact, that year judges had been warned about recent “grade inflation”, resulting in overall lower scores; we received our expected Superior rating.
After high school, I played mallets and tenors for three years in the Hawkeye Marching Band. The 1985 Iowa/Michigan classic that landed us at the 1986 Rose Bowl (and its insanely long parade). Long bus rides to games in Columbus, Ann Arbor, New York City. Incredible Blood, Sweat and Tears arrangements by David Woodley. Band Extravaganza at Hancher Auditorium (for which I now have the digitized recordings). Great music, great fun, wonderful memories.
Today? Still a band geek. I once caught myself walking around the NDSM neighborhood in Amsterdam humming my sophomore year opener Veracruz. Wasn’t consciously doing so, truthfully just popped into my head. I still know each opener, still know the Captain From Castile tenor score (senior year). I regular play HMB warmup exercises or series, on desks and arm rests and very rarely with sticks. I relive band stories more often than I care to admit, now even my wife is sick of the repeats. In my late-20s/early-30s I auditioned on tenors for Minnesota Brass Senior Drum Corp, ultimately playing better than ever before but losing the final spot to a Madison Scouts alumni (completely justified, he was far more talented than me).
Guess I really did peak in high school…damn. And for that I blame my instructors, Terry, Dennis, Arlyn, Mike, and Bill. Thanks for everything!
Image Credits
- © 1981 Clinton Herald Newspaper from an article they wrote about our successes. The article does not appear to have been digitized.
