Ashland High School Band announces season showcase

ASHLAND — Ashland Arrow fans will have a one-of-a-kind opportunity to cheer on the high school marching band on Saturday night.

The Ashland High School Music Department will host an hour-long Marching Band Showcase at Community Stadium at 7 p.m., where the band will present its pre-game drill and three of this season’s halftime shows.

The showcase will take place Sept. 26, on what would have been Homecoming night.

Band director Marty Kral said the showcase is a way to highlight hard work done by the band, who had its season cut by two performances due to an abbreviated football season.

“We were on the fence pretty much all summer without knowing exactly how football was going to work,” Kral said. “We’re excited that (school administrators) are letting us showcase the band. It gives them the kind of recognition I think they deserve.”

The Ashland High School Marching Band currently consists of 110 students, plus 16 members of the Sweet 16 dancers. During a typical season, the band would perform at all five home games; however, this year there are only three home games and bands are not permitted to travel to away games under COVID-19 restrictions.

The showcase will also give extended family, friends and community members, who might not be able to attend games due to seating limitations, a chance to see the band perform. The stadium will still be limited to fifteen percent seating capacity, but with 800 available seats, Kral isn’t concerned. 

Any community member is welcome to come; there will be no tickets or entry fee. The Music Department is asking that everyone in attendance practice social distancing and wear masks whenever they are around others.

The first show features an eclectic mix of music from the 1980s, including hits from Gloria Estefan, Paul Simon and a Styx medley.

The second show, “Around the 80 Yards” includes jazz tunes “April in Paris” by Count Basie and “Spain” by Chick Corea and wraps up with Toto’s “Africa.”

The band will wrap up the performance with its senior night show, which consists of two songs handpicked by the senior class and an introduction of each senior student.