A marching show of Olympic proportions

Geneseo?High?School band’s 2010 marching show aims to set a gold standard.

Using the Olympic Games as inspiration, the show will feature an opening ceremony, in addition to portrayals of various summer or winter sports, including figure skating, boxing and track and field, said band director Steve Scherer.

“The kids have been putting a ton of energy into this show,” he said.

The show will feature the music of American composer Joseph Curiale.

“We’ll be doing two separate orchestral pieces, ‘Awakening’ and ‘Gates of Gold’ which have been adapted for marching band,” said Scherer. “The music is very exciting.”

Though the pieces weren’t originally written with the Olympics in mind, Scherer said he and fellow Geneseo band director Anthony Hernandez visualized the Olympics when listening to the music.

“The more we hear the music, the more the visual theme seems to fit,” said Scherer.

Geneseo’s 2010 marching band is under the direction of senior drum major Sara Sneyd and junior drum major Dan Reyburn.

The marching band has 102 members. In addition to performing at home football games, the band will march in exhibition at the Maple Leaf Classic in Geneseo on Sept. 25.

The band will participate in marching contests at Washington High School on Sept. 11, at Metamora High?School on?Oct. 9 and at the state competition at Illinois State University on Oct. 23.