Across the spectrum of the 73 band trip students, MaKenzie Smith and Morgan Mueller represent the opposite ends.
While Smith is among the four freshmen who boarded a bus for Orlando on Wednesday, Mueller is one of only three current students who attended the last band trip, a journey to Texas three years ago.
“For the first time since our first trip in 1998—to New Orleans—almost everyone on the trip is a rookie,” said band director Erik Hermanson. “Usually, it is over half the band.”
Smith, who plays the clarinet, said she was a bit nervous about taking what will be her farthest excursion away from home.
“It’s a little scary being with all the older kids and seeing things I’ve never seen before, but it will be fun.”
While the pandemic put the damper on a band trip during her sophomore and junior years, Mueller, a trumpeter who, along with classmates Jordyn Klingel and Allison Jindra, attended the 2019 band trip, was glad to finally get back on the road for her last year at CHS.
“These past two COVID years have been awful. I really wanted to go on another band trip, and there are so many places that you can go for different experiences.”
Because of the experience she gained in 2019, Mueller has fielded lots of questions about the trip from other band members.
“How are the rooms going to work? What is the bus ride like? Is it scary or is it fun?
She said the last question was an easy one.
“It really is so much fun. There’s a lot of adrenaline and you’re without your parents, which makes it more cool. You only play once or twice, but then we’re at the amusement park all day for three days.”
After performing a sendoff concert to a packed Trinity Chapel on the campus of Bethany Lutheran College (above), band members loaded a pair of coach buses and began their over 1500-mile trip at 8:30 pm.
On Thursday the buses rolled south all day before arriving in the Orlando area at 11:00 pm.
Today (Friday) is a fun day with a trip to Universal Studios theme park and later a group dinner at the Hard Rock Café.
Saturday morning is competition time with “Black Folder Jazz” and “Blue Folder Jazz” performing at a local high school. Later in the morning, they head back to Universal Studios where there is an awards ceremony and a pop concert in the evening.
On Sunday, the Blue Folder group performs at Universal Studios. On Monday, the two buses head 65 miles due east to Cocoa Beach with a stop at Ron Jon Surf Shop. Later that day, they return to Cleveland for arrival on Tuesday.
Planning for the trip started in 2020 and has been derailed a few times because of a global pandemic or two, said Hermanson.
“Especially where we could go…if we could perform…where we would have to wear masks. We are performing at Universal Studios for the first time because they lifted their "no student performances" ban before Disney did.”
But with band trips a large part of an effective music program, Hermanson said the work everyone puts in is worth it.
“I think it is an important factor is showing that we can be polished and professional. It gives us the chance to show that hard work can pay off in a big way. These contests have provided an awesome chance for the Cleveland bands to shine over the years.”
Hermanson said he considers a trip on a year-to-year basis, looking at many factors like cost, contest dates, performance opportunities and how skilled the band is. This year, all the junior and senior band members went on the trip as well as some sophomores and freshmen coming in order to provide “the best possible instrumentation.”
Hermanson and company greatly appreciate all who made the trip possible.
“The Cleveland American Legion was absolutely incredible in donating money to provide trip potential to students in need. Its support of the program was humbling. Rich Draheim (a parent and state senator) also donated money to ensure that everyone had the opportunity to travel with the group and experience this awesome tour. We owe him our thanks.”
Chaperoning the trip are teachers Kyle Atherton, Brady Hahn, and Bree Meyer, athletic director Rich Kern and nurse Kally Remiger.
Morgan Mueller, on trumpet left, is one of three current students who attended the last band trip.
MaKenzie Smith (on clarinet center) is one of four freshmen who joined the band trip.
After the sendoff concert, director Erik Hermanson gave the cargo of band instruments a final look as the bus driver closed that hatch. "I get a little more nervous each time.," he said. "I'm excited but really hoping that this first trip back can really go smoothly."
Some of the band members during the performance at Bethany. On trumpet are Kolby Gens, Tommy Kennedy and Jay Pankratz.
Members of the percussion section.
Another section of the band.
Ava Hahn on the French horn (right) was also a freshman who made the trip.
Flutes, saxophones and French horn sections.
The freshmen and sophomores packed one of the two coach buses.