Serra Show Draws on Scottish Lore, Music

High school band prepares for fall season

By Bonnijean Cooney Adams
The Tube City Almanac
August 17, 2020
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

Serra marching band student leaders for 2020 are: Serafina Szarmach, Ryan Gedman, and Harrison Potts, drum majors; Natalie Makovics and Nina Fassinger, colorguard captains; Jordan Premozic, woodwind section leader; Joe Crossen, brass section leader, and Abigail Bernick, percussion section leader. (Photo by Bonnijean Cooney Adams)

With a senior drum major who plays bagpipes, Serra Catholic Marching Band director Jesse Bush said he didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to do a Celtic-themed show.

So Bush decided on “The Secret of Loch Ness,” with musical numbers “Scotland the Brave,” “Skye Boat Song,” and “The Loch Ness Monster.”

Drum Major Harrison Potts plays bagpipes. He, and Drum Major Serafina Szarmach in a vocalist role, are featured in “Skye Boat Song.”

The annual two-week marching band camp kicked off Aug. 10 and concludes Aug. 21, with some business as usual and other activities modified to meet guidelines in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Drum Major Harrison Potts plays bagpipes, too, which is perfect for Serra’s Celtic-themed show, The Secret of Loch Ness. (Photo by Bonnijean Cooney Adams)

“All students and staff are required to wear face masks and social distance,” Bush said. “We have daily temperature checks before every practice. There is so much uncertainty with our season, that we’re just taking it a week at a time and just trying to enjoy band camp.”

Serra usually participates in Tournament of Bands and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association competitions. In July, both organizations announced no in-person events would take place this fall. Bush said TOB will be virtual this year.

According to PIMBA’s website, the organization is “working on alternative performance opportunities for its member programs to take advantage of as we continue to monitor the progress of COVID-19 pandemic.”

Serra band student leaders said they are excited to be back with their classmates and for the theme of the show.

“I’ve enjoyed being back,” Szarmach said. “I like the show and the theme. It’s very different than last year (French theme) and I’m excited that I get to sing.”

On the third day of two weeks of band camp, Serra band members review the drill they've learned so far, then add on. (Photo by Bonnijean Cooney Adams)

Drum Major Ryan Gedman said he likes how the band director centered the show on a Celtic theme, with Potts playing bagpipes.

“I definitely feel bad the (in-person) season was canceled,” Gedman said of his senior year, “but I’m glad to be back with friends at band camp.”

Potts said he is of Scottish heritage and decided to learn to play bagpipes approximately two years ago. “I love it,” he said, “and it’s very fun. I’m excited about doing both – playing bagpipes and drum major.”

Instructor Susan Frank is new to Serra Catholic this year, but is no stranger to colorguard.

She performed with McKeesport Area High School’s colorguard and winterguard when she was a student there, and has continued to perform as an adult.

Frank said her mother Dorothy Kuharski made the flags and costumes for her competitions when she was in high school, and has continued to do so ever since.

While details still were being finalized midway through the first week of band camp, Frank said her vision for colorguard to complement the musical numbers was a Scottish flag, plaid scarves, thistle (purple and green), with guard members dressed in either plaid kilts or black pants and plaid vests – all made by her mother.

Colorguard captains Nina Fassinger and Natalie Makovics said this is the fastest they’ve learned their routine in their years at Serra. Both are seniors.

“I go in with a full plan,” Frank said. “I taught them the choreography the first day, then we did more on Tuesday.”
“This is the fastest I’ve learned it, performed it, and it’s good, too,” Makovics said. “I’m glad to feel kind of normal with band camp starting.”

“It’s very different than last year,” Fassinger said. “The whole routine was done in two days.”

“Ryan Raible writes our drill,” Bush said, including some fancy footwork and turns that required moving pigeon-toed. “Our marching technique is all based on the drum corps style of marching.”

After a morning of marching drills and indoor practice for the percussion section, Serra band members combine to work on the music during the third day of camp, under the direction of director Jesse Bush. (Submitted photo)

Norwin graduate Nieko Disso, an instrumental music education major at Youngstown State University, is another new band camp staff member.

He monitored students during drills, offering suggestions and corrections as they learned and perfected the moves.

“The band makes a formation and creates the Loch Ness Monster,” Bush said. “The plan is to eventually create a monster head for the final song with the band as its body.”

Tyler Gedman continued his artistic contributions by designing the Loch Ness Monster image featured on the band’s show shirts.

“This year is more about the process than the product,” Bush said. He explained the main goal of band camp is to get through the basics necessary to put on their show, then work on details and hone the performance as the situation permits.

“I’m really proud of the students’ work ethic and dedication in such an odd time in our lives,” Bush said.
 
Bonnijean Cooney Adams is a contributing writer. She can be reached at adamsclick@aol.com.

Originally published August 17, 2020.

In other news:
"Duquesne Adds 14 Home…" || "EA Marching Band Plan…"