On the Line: Mount Vernon Band Finds Connection Beyond the Field

A ringing phone can be exciting; it can be the voice of a loved one, it can be the sound of a missed call. For the Mount Vernon High School band, that was the seed of "On the Line" (a marching show), which was all about the human need to reach out to one another. It was three movements really, taking the audience from the excitement of a call through to the isolation of a soloist, and then back to the joy of being able to reconnect. The phone imagery provided a visual link, and the directors had the chance to explain to a generation that's used to having their phones in their pockets what a phone booth actually was. Underneath all of that, though, the students were telling their own story of connection.

The season got off to a very unusual start. An unexpected personal matter required the director’s attention, forcing the band to cancel much of its preseason preparation. As a result, much of the pre-season work the band had been doing had to be canceled. The students started the season with material that other bands were already working on. That gap was going to take more than just extra effort from the directors and the student leaders knew it. They came up with the answer to "what do you need us to do?" and went to work. They took on the responsibility of organizing equipment, helping to get the practice field ready, and doing all the other things that normally would have been the job of the staff. That was a real testament to the growth of the young people in the band, and it was a huge help in getting the band through that period.

That growth was very significant for the 15 seniors in the program. The current staff is the third group of directors the class has had, and the three years together have allowed for the development of real trust and consistency. The director, Mr. John Loanzon, described simply watching those students as musicians and as people grow as one of the most satisfying aspects of the job. This season, their work saw Mount Vernon make it to area competition for the first time in three years and then to the area finals. Some of the students were a bit let down that it didn't go any further to state, but their desire to keep growing was evident. For Loanzon, the real achievement of the season was in the growth of the students.

It was there in students helping out another band with a move or to pick up a dropped item, all the while competing for the same finite number of spots. It was there in the growing sense of 'we're in it together' with the Mount Vernon cheerleaders, the Mount Vernon football team, and all the other students. The band kids know what it takes to get through a performance in terms of hours, the heat, the equipment, and so on. That shared experience breeds respect across the lines of the school. At home, Loanzon has been promoting that very same sense of generosity to extend beyond the band hall. The message is straightforward: 'I'm part of Mount Vernon'. Each group brings something different to the table, but they're all part of the same community.

As marching season gives way to concerts, auditions, and solo/ensemble work, that work continues. “There's very little of an 'off season' for the students who are always learning, rehearsing, and supporting each other,” said Loanzon. "On the Line" provided the Mount Vernon audience with a musical embodiment of connection. The students gave it substance beyond the field by showing up for their directors, taking ownership of their band, and taking real pride in the community they represent.