In high school, drummer Sydney Gerhard was her school marching band’s first female, first 11th grader, and first non-snare drumline captain. 

Now at PennWest California, she is expanding her reach as a PennWest Cal Marching Band drumline captain. This is Gerhard’s third year in the PennWest Cal band, and she is a junior Digital Media Technology major.

Gerhard’s experience in the PennWest Cal marching band has been nothing but positive. 

“When we are here, it is just a big family feel, and everyone is enjoying themselves,” Gerhard said. “Everyone knows everyone, and everyone is friends with everyone. It’s a really good group of people that we have this year.”

Frank Stetar, the marching band’s director and the Assistant Chair of the Department of Visual & Performing Arts, has worked with the band for 10 years. 

“The Cal band is a family. Almost all of the students are members of the group for most of the college career,” Stetar said. “The students build bonds and friendships with one another that last far past their time at this university.”

The band is preparing its 2024 marching show “Down the River From Motown” featuring several songs from the Detroit blues era. 

Gerhard expressed that a personal favorite of hers is Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”.

“Our closer [song] is ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’, and most of the songs are mashups,” Gerhard said.

Other songs included in the program are “Baby Love” and “Stop! In The Name of Love” by The Supremes, “Proud Mary” by Tina Turner, “I’ll Be There” by the Jackson 5, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell.

Stetar remarked that he likes to make sure each halftime show is different from the previous year.

“I’ve wanted to do a Motown show for a long time and thought this would be a great year to do it,” Stetar said. 

Leah Fleming, a senior Parks and Recreation Management Major, is one of the field commanders for this year’s band as well as the Band President. She previously played mellophone before stepping into these roles.

“As a field commander, I get to lead the band musically and be a role model to other members,” Fleming said. One of the most important parts is keeping up the morale and ensuring everyone is having fun,” 

She has additional responsibilities as band president. 

“I am the Representative and liaison between staff and students,” said Fleming.” I get to represent the university band at meetings. I help make sure everything is running smoothly for the program.”

Band members arrive on campus before the rest of the students move in, and have time to put the show together during a week of band camp.

“Band camp went very well,” Stetar said. “We were very lucky with the lack of weather issues and did not have any issues or setbacks due to rain. The students overall were very focused and were able to get a great deal accomplished in a short amount of time.”

Junior liberal studies major Isabella Hernandezsire also plays bass drum alongside Gerhard. 

“Band camp is tiring but also very rewarding,” Hernandezsire said. “This year was fun because we were able to learn our music and drill pretty fast, so after that it was just a matter of cleaning things up.”

The band, clad in their red, white, and black uniforms, represents PennWest California’s many years of school pride and tradition.

“To put on the uniform is to serve the school,” Hernandezsire said. “The band at Cal was formed to support the student body and the football players, and as the years have progressed, the reason still stands to this day. You can always find the band loud and proud at games.”

Typically, for home games, the marching band parades into Adamson Stadium and around the track, and then performs a pregame show consisting of Pitbull’s “Fireball” and some drumline cadences. Then, the crowd welcomes the football team to the field with “Vader”, a drumline cadence similar to the “Imperial March” from “Star Wars.” 

In addition to their halftime and pregame shows, the band performs stand tunes to cheer on the football team and rile up the crowd. 

“The stand tunes that our cheerleaders know and have dances to are fun because people can hear it and see people performing to it,” Gerhard said. “‘Land of 1000 Dances’ is a favorite”.

So far, the marching band has had their annual late night rehearsal performance to mark the end of band camp, where guests were able to preview this year’s show, as well as the Riverfest event in downtown California. PennWest Cal’s drumline partnered with the California Area High School drumline to entertain festival guests.

Typically, the band goes to all home football games, a few away games, and a few high school band competitions, as well as a band competition in Allentown and an overnight trip. The band will also have a special performance at the Homecoming football game on October 19th, with band alumni being able to march with the current members. 

“You see Alumni of the band from a major span of years. We especially love having the alumni play in the stands with us, showing us their traditions while we show them ours,” Hernandezsire said.

The PennWest California Marching Band looks forward to performing their show for a California crowd at the first home football game at noon on Saturday, Sep. 28 against Gannon University.