It would be a shame to see a major change to the Jamestown High School marching band.

The JHS marching band has earned five championships in its recent history – 1992, 2002, 2014, 2015 and 2018 – in a history that dates back to 1924. But it was really in the late 1980s that the Jamestown High School marching band began spreading its wings, participating in the Festival of States in St. Petersburg, Fla., in 1982 and 1988; representing New York state at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1984, 1898 and 1995, with the 1989 trip including two national television appearances on the David Letterman Show and an appearance on NBC’s Today Show in 1995. In 1986 the marching band performed on New Year’s Day at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., performed at the Orange Bowl in 2004 and performed in the nationally televised Citrus Parade at Disney World in 2007 with performances in the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2010 and the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2017.

The music program – including the marching band – has helped countless JHS graduates make their way to college music programs over the years while also giving the high school’s musicians another avenue to showcase their talents.

In the end, though, decisions about possible changes to the competitive marching band should hinge on what students want and what the district can provide. It’s no guarantee that a new marching band director will step up given the additional time marching band competitions mean for the director. District officials also have to consider whether or not there is ongoing student interest that will allow the band to have enough musicians to participate in future years.

Marching band is an expensive activity for both the school district and for the families of the musicians who participate. That means there’s a lot to consider as Jamestown Public Schools administrators consider the future of the traditional marching band.

So while we hope the program continues as it has, but times change – and that means we should be prepared for beloved programs to change with them.

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