The Band Page is a place devoted to the promotion and encouragement of bands. Not rock bands, instrumental bands. Concert bands, Marching Bands, Symphonic bands, Wind Ensembles, whatever you call it, you still enjoy it. :)

Yes, the piece you're hearing right now is the Macerena, arranged by Matt Schrader.  To stop this atrocity from playing, mute your speakers. :-)

The low brass section has been the home for Matt since his fourth grade year at Longbranch Elementary school in Liverpool, New York. "I love playing," Matt muses, "it let's me think about all the problems in my life and how to fix them all. Plus, the only homework is practicing." In this first picture, the maroon and gold uniforms signified the end of the 19893-1994 era with the begining of what was to be known as "Freelandism", a belief in which any and all thought was reserved for the BRHS music teacher, Miss Freeland. Althought Miss freeland started teaching at Broad Run a year before that, the rules and regs didn't come in full force until the next year. We see Matt on the far right of the top row. In the next picture, we see the growth the marching band saw in the 1994-1995 Season to follow. Here, we see Matt's little head two over from the right of the sousaphones. Both years, the band was lead by drum major Daniel Griffin, our fearless leader. The main reason Matt enjoys playing in the marching band so much is because he enjoys interacting with his peers every day in the way a player interacts with his team. "To be one with sixty or seventy people at once like that simply has no equal. And if it has, I haven't seen it." Many of Matt's peers share his love and enthusiasm toward music. At college, Matt hopes to pursue an education in music composition. Later, in graduate school, get his degree in music, and eventually become a doctor of music so he can go back to see Miss Freeland and say to her, "Excuse me Miss Freeland, but do you have a doctorate in music? I didn't think so." True, this isn't his only reason, but it is a constant reminder to achieve excellence! The next picture on the list is the 1995-1996 season with Geoff Klein and Diana Butler at the helm. It was the first year in a while to see a drum major and an assistant drum major. Here, the band sports their new uniforms, quite a change from the waiter costumes they had before.

The main purpose of the music department as Broad Run High is to give the students a good education in music. Aside from that, Miss Freeland, the band director at BRHS, takes it upon herself to teach us what our attitudes should be in our life. She also tells us what to think when she wants us to think a certain way. This isn't in all a bad thing, it gives the students a good idea of how to not offend people and to be on the safe side of everything and not stick up for yourself. "Yes, I had problems with Miss Freeland at first," Matt explains, "but I've learned sometimes, it's just good to keep your mouth shut, and especially with Miss Freeland. She just doesn't take anything unless it's your best, and that's respect!" The final picture, the 1996-1997 season was Matt's last year in the Broad Run Marching Band. Who can complain when someone for two years in a row was section leader of the low brass with his dear friend, PJ Shaver who is also leaving this year. "Working with the band this year has been such a treat. I've grown in ways never felt possible, and I think a few others did too."  This year's band was lead by Diana Butler of former assistant drum major fame. It was truely a good year. Broad run, for the first time in a while, recieved the rank of a Virginia Honor Band. This means the school recieved superiors both in their marching band and their concert band. Good stuff!

One of the major parts of the band experience would had to have been marching band. The marching band first meets in mid August for early band camp. The days start out with stretching and the application of sun block. Later, the band practices their marching maneuvers, or drill, until it gets really hot. At that point, they retire to the band room for instrumental rehearsal. There, the band works on the pieces they will be playing for the "field show". The notes, articulation, rhythm, and dynamics are completely woodshed to produce "the ultimate" sound. One of the hardest feats a marching band has to accomplish is the coordination to both play their instrument and march at the same time. Although many bands prepare many field shows, Broad Run's small size and perfectionist atmosphere demands that only one show be learned and perfected. In this picture, The a few of the Broad Run Marching Spartans strut their stuff.   These students are in a group called the Sterling Chex Mix Quartet. Tuba- PJ Shaver, Euphonium- Matt Schrader, First Trumpet- Craig Berman, Second Trumpet- Johann Hukari. "We worked hard and got what we deserved for our efforts," says senior Coelle Schott, shown her with the Chex Mix Quartet. At college, Coelle intends to continue marching band at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, better known as Virginia Tech. Some of the students as BR intend to major in music, and what better university to go to than JMU. To visit the college page, enter here! Seniors Debbie Barlow and Diana Butler have been accepted to join the JMU cult. Matt, however, is going to Tech where he will meet up with the rest of Broad Run and have a fun dorm life and drink himself to death ( Just kidding Mom! ). :) This last picture is of the Chex Mix Quartet posing in front of the Midevil Times at Myrtle Beach. Timtang Fellow, the drummer for the Chex Mix is also present.

Go to the web page of Broad Run High School, Be amazed at how advanced their page is!

Questions, comments, feel free to email us at sillymann.vt.edu

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