MWSU Griffon Marching Band performs for the first time this year

With Fall sports cancelled at Missouri Western, the University marching band is still finding ways to perform

Semester <<<(reporter danielle sachse) the band is back together.... ((nats.

Marching band music) missouri western's golden griffon marching band is finding ways to perfrom in the middle of a pandemic...sot: nathan gay, band director "so, the group that was performing today, they've only been together a couple of times really, to get ready for this.

Otherwise, we're in sectionals the whole time, outdoors, rehearsing with masks."the marching band typically perfroms at fall sporting events and concerts, but that is not an option this fall,so the band director came up with a new plan...sot: nathan gay, band director "we can't perform as a full group just because of, just because of the risks.

And so we're doing this every couple of weeks.

We're going to split in half and play some tunes around campus."the band director saying everything has changed...sot: nathan gay, band director "our band camp has changed, our rehearsal structure has changed, the way we're able to go out and do things has changed, the size of the group has changed."

Reducing form 118 to 86 members...with health and safety concerns, his priority is keeping his students as safe and healthy as possible during this timesot: nathan gay, band director "otherwise, we're in sectionals the whole time, outdoors, rehearsing with masks.

The guard and the drum-line wear masks all the time, and the winds just take them off when they play, they put them right back on when they're done, so.

Lots of hand-sanitizer, lots of wipes for hard surfaces."despite the changes this semester, the football team wants to give the marching band a sense of normalcy...sot: nathan gay, band director "they've asked us all there to make it more like a game environment.

So, that's going to be the only time this semester we can get the entire band together to perform.

And so i think the students are really excited about that as well."they also want to try something new... creating promo videos... sot: nathan gay, band director "it looks almost like a zoom session, where you have different screens of people playing, but its all mashed up all post-production.

It's done really well.

We're going to do the fight song for sure.

And then we're going to pick another tune probably and do some promo videos for the future."the marching bad is grateful for the oppurtunity to still get the chance to do what they love...sot: nathan gay, band director "i think from what the spring has taught us, is that just because it's different doesn't mean its not, its a bad thing."

Reporting in st.

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Marching band music))>>> for