As the 2024-2025 football season comes to a close, the Stroudsburg Marching Band takes its halftime show to the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
On November 2, 2024, the SHS Marching Band accompanied by the Color Guard traveled to MetLife Stadium, a tradition that has been going on for the past couple of years. At the stadium, the group performs their halftime show and has the opportunity to watch other marching bands from across the East Coast.
Each year band director, Mr. Harold Cassidy works hard with other members of Stroudsburg’s staff to create a new halftime show for Friday night football corresponding to a chosen theme.
This year’s theme was titled “Legendary,” featuring “Mad World” by Gary Jules, “Demons” by Imagine Dragons, “Legendary” by Bon Jovi, and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.
Through months of practice and training, the band prepares themselves for every performance. An excessive amount of hard work is put into every aspect of the show. From notes to steps to uniforms, the band pours hours and hours of diligence into their craft.
Band director, Mr. Harold Cassidy explains that the band goes through ¨two phases¨ during their season. The first phase is learning the entire show, which typically takes ¨5-7 weeks.¨ Despite taking the same amount of time, the second phase has shown to be more challenging and displays a period of growth between the band members.
¨In the second phase of the season, the members get much more comfortable with what they are doing both physically and musically and that is evident in their performance,” expresses Mr. Harold Cassidy, SHS Marching Band director. ¨As we push through the end of the season, we continuously are adding little things to make the performance that much better.¨
As the season progresses, smaller mistakes are fixed and critiqued to perfect the halftime show. Aspects such as dynamic changes, body movements, and marching formations on the field are practiced and worked to aid in emphasizing the empowering message the chosen music holds.
Before departing from the High School, the band performs a breakdown of each song and its purpose in the show, as well as a run through of the entire show put together for family and friends. Here, Cassidy takes the time to explain the meaning behind the show’s theme and gives a special thanks to families, staff, and other contributors and supporters of the band and color guard.
The band ranges from students in the eighth grade up until senior year. While some members have been involved since their eighth grade year, others might have started as a senior. But one aspect is evident throughout the band; a family environment. Whether it’s musically, mentally, or socially, each member of the band experiences their own form of personal growth.
¨First hand, I have witnessed the entire band grow so much in so many ways among all grades,¨ comments senior drum major, William Tonnies, ´25. ¨This year had the most first year members in all my five years in marching band and I couldn´t be happier with how much I witnessed the rest of the band grow and teach the first years.¨
MetLife Stadium marks an important event for the band and color guard members as it is their last official performance of the season. It’s an emotional time where tears are shed and memories are shared between the members who have worked tirelessly to perfect their parts.
