GRAND ISLAND — The Grand Island Senior High Islander Band will be performing ‘Journey to the New World’ for the 2024 marching band season.
The GISH marching band was found on the turf at Memorial Field during the morning of Friday, Aug. 30 practicing their marching fundamentals and the first movement of their show.
Band Director Arthur Lienemann was working with the pit members on the sidelines, while Alexander Kemnitz, GISH teacher was working on the field with the band members.
It was noted that Band Director Evan Lee has been recovering from surgery but is expected to return soon.
This year the band numbers 171 total students, including percussion and color guard members. There are four drum majors directing the Islander band this year.
Lienemann said that this year the band is performing a show called, “Journey to the New World,” which was composed by Lee and is based upon Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, also known as “From the New World.”
Dvořák composed the symphony in 1893 while he was the director of the National Conservatory of Music of America and today it is regarded as one of the most popular symphonies.
At the premiere in Carnegie Hall, the end of every movement was met with such thunderous clapping that Dvořák felt obliged to stand up and bow.
This was one of the greatest public triumphs of Dvořák’s career. When the symphony was published, several European orchestras soon performed it.
Lienemann said that their show has three different movements. While the original symphony is four movements, the last two are being thematically combined into the final marching movement.
The themes for the three movements include the opener, a ballad and then the closer. Lienemann said the show goes from being wistful to high intensity. He said the closer is high energy and features several intense moments.
Lienemann said that the Islander Band endured the heat that was present during their band camp from July 29 to Aug. 2. He said they focused on teaching the students the marching fundamentals, learning the music of the show and the first movement.
It was noted that the band only had limited time on the field this week due to the heat and having to allow the athletic teams to practice earlier in the morning for their safety.
Lienemann said the band was worked hard for the two days they could be on the field and Friday’s practice was a bit slower pace on purpose.
The GISH Islander Band will take part in four different competitions this season.
The first event will be on Saturday, Sept. 21 with the Bearcat Marching Festival, hosted at Kearney High School.
The band will get to stay home to open October when they take part in the 82nd annual Harvest of Harmony Parade and field competition on Saturday, Oct. 5.
“Over the years, Harvest of Harmony has grown into one of Nebraska’s largest events… The Harvest of Harmony is coordinated by the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce with the help of the Harvest of Harmony committee,” according to the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce.
The penultimate competition the marching band will take part in is the 43rd annual Lincoln Public Schools Marching Band Invitational at Seacrest Field on Saturday, Oct. 19.
“Lincoln Public Schools is proud to be a part of fostering growth for your young performers as they polish their skills for state marching contest,” LPS stated.
The final competition of the season will be the Nebraska State Bandmasters Association State Marching Contest, on Saturday, Oct. 26. The west festival site will be hosted at KHS.
“Bands compete in an open class event although individual class champions are announced and presented with an award. All participating bands receive a placement award and caption awards are presented for Best Percussion, Best Auxiliary, Best Music, Best Visual and Best Effect,” according to the NSBA website.
Take part in the GISH Islander Band’s journey this year by attending one of their performances this fall.
