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The 82 members of the Luverne High School Marching Band packed into the gymnasium Friday morning, the third out of four mornings in the past week that rain has forced the group to practice indoors.
“It’s frustrating,” said director Richard Owen of the morning rain showers. “We’ve learned some practice etiquette we don’t normally do.”
While practicing the four songs from the “Phantom of the Opera” field show is easily accomplished indoors, the practice of the movements between instrumentalists and color guard members indoors without hitting each other has proven impossible.
Students have been learning the field formations as well as the transitional movements between songs for the field show since late July.
This week the band expected to move practice from the school parking lot to the football field, where field competitions are normally performed.
The band opens its competitive season Saturday at the Pursuit of Excellence event in Marshall.
Senior Emma Mumme is returning to the marching band after a two-year hiatus.
Class conflicts prevented the 18-year-old from taking Spanish, choir and band at the same time until this year.
“Marching band is a lot of fun and I’ve missed it,” she said.
Mumme said marching band gives her the feeling of competing on a team and the group brings out the best in her as a percussionist.
“In sports I am not very competitive, but in band I am,” the bass drum player said.
After Saturday’s competition the Luverne Cardinal band has the following upcoming performances:
•Sept. 23: home football versus Redwood
•Sept. 24: Tri-State Band Festival in Luverne and Big Sioux Review, Brandon, South Dakota.
•Oct. 1: Festival of Bands, Sioux Falls.
•Oct. 7: Homecoming versus St. James.
•Oct. 8: Dutchmen Field Competition Championship, Orange City, Iowa.
The band finishes its marching band season with an indoor marching band concert at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24.