Buchanan Community Schools – March 4 Band

Buchanan Bands Play Their Hearts Out

by Rebecka Hoyt, Editor & Photographer

Buchanan Middle School gymnasium was the location for the Buchanan Bands Play-A-Thon on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. Musicians of the Buchanan middle and high school bands played their hearts out from 3:00pm – 9:00pm. Band students asked friends, family and the community to pledge an amount for how many minutes they play and they will collect the pledges after the event.

Michigan Gateway Community Foundation donated to Buchanan Bands, Photo by Rebecka Hoyt

Yes, they did play a lot of good music. Band Director, Deanna Russell spent many hours going through their music files to find some good pieces to play. Some of the pieces they had not played in a long time, so they were basically sight-reading music. Sight-reading music is where you get it for the first time and try it out. They look over the music and then pretend to play it by hissing, then they do their best to play it. I was quite impressed as I was a band student from 5th grade – 12th grade. Also, a couple of community members, Gabe Newport, Buchanan Band Alumnus and General Manager of the Niles Culvers, on trumpet, and band parent Tom Hoyt, on Baritone Saxophone, were given the chance to play with the bands. When I asked Tom how it was playing with the bands, he said “It’s fun, it’s different,” with a smile on his face.

Students directing the Play-A-Thon, Photos by Rebecka Hoyt

Buchanan Bands played some songs that you have probably heard in the past/present like: “Dramatico,” and “Into the Storm” by Robert W. Smith, “Avengers Theme” Composed by Alan Silvestri, arranged by Michael Brown, some other movie favorites like “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins, “Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars music and of course a Play-A-Thon would not be complete with the Buchanan Fight Song. Students put their name in a marching band hat to be drawn in order to direct the band. They played the fight song many times as others in the band clapped and sang, and the audience joined in too. I was taken back in time to when I was in my high school band playing the clarinet, and we also played Smith’s “Into the Storm” my senior year!

Play-A-Thon in motion, Photos by Rebecka Hoyt

While family, friends and school personnel attended this fun-filled-musical-night, you could purchase window car clings for $3 that say “I’m with the band” and two other kinds of stickers for $2. Jen Tabor, band parent and fundraiser chairman told the students, “$1,000 was raised during the Play-A-Thon, and so far since the March 4 Band fundraiser has started, $17,000 has been raised.” You can still continue to give to the band through the the month of March to culminate with a student video as they have a goal to raise $60,000 for equipment and “new uniforms at $350 per student, we have a long way to go to achieve our goal. We are actively seeking your participation in the drive,” states Fundraiser Chairman, Jen Tabor. Please consider donating to the March 4 Band fundraiser to a band student or at Buchanan City Hall, putting your loose change in the “Tips for Band” white canisters at Buchanan area businesses, and donating on their Go Fund Me page: https://gofund.me/e4e972da.
You can follow their journey at March4Band and locally Buchanan Band Parents.