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Luverne High School band director James Jarvie traveled between three classrooms Friday as he prepared 59 students for the upcoming marching band season.
Jarvie began his duties this summer, as the district remodels its auditorium into new band and choir suites and the existing rooms were demolished for a new physical education classroom and a weight room.
“I don't know the usual,” he said. “The usual is all new.”
Jarvie spent the last nine years as the kindergarten through 12th grade instrumental and vocal director at Ellsworth Public Schools.
At Luverne his job focuses on the sixth- through 12th-grade band program.
While construction workers finish the new band room, equipment is stored in various classrooms and practice takes place in the elementary music classrooms.
Marching band practice, however, mainly takes place outside.
Jarvie admits he is relying on seasoned drum majors — junior Josie Golla and seniors Amelia Jarchow and Alexa Chesley — and longtime colorguard adviser Gavin Folkestad to assist him in settling into this year’s marching band season.
Also joining Jarvie and Folkestad is assistant band director Morgan Smith, who joined the district as a new elementary music instructor.
In July and August band members completed a weeklong freshman camp and a two-week band camp in preparation for the upcoming marching band season.
Drum major Amelia Jarchow already sees one of Jarvie’s focuses of forming the group into a family with about 20 fewer students than last year’s band.
“It’s been better because everyone wants to learn,” she said.
Along with thinking as a group, Jarvie said he also wants students to develop an appreciation for music and how performing helps people relate to each other.
One key component stands out.
“You have to listen to one another,” he said
The band debuted its field competition program Friday during halftime of the home football game. The band will perform its program again this Friday (Sept. 6) in another halftime performance.
This year’s performance theme is “iBand” and focuses on how technology has influenced music.
While the songs for “iBand” where selected before Jarvie’s arrival, Folkestad said the field maneuvers and body movements were left for Jarvie to add.
“We wanted a show where the director could add elements that would make it his own,” he said.
Upcoming band competitions include:
•Sept. 14: King Turkey Day Parade, Worthington.
•Sept. 21: Waseca Marching Classic.
•Sept. 28: Tri-State Band Festival, Luverne; Big Sioux Review, Brandon, South Dakota.
•Oct. 5: Festival of Bands, Sioux Falls.
•Oct. 12: Dutchman Classic, Orange City, Iowa.
•:Oct. 21: Indoor Marching Band Concert, Luverne High School gymnasium.