Playing it by ear

Mt. Pleasant - As coronavirus continues to rear its head in Iowa communities, schools have had to continuously adapt their programs and activities to guidance that changes every other day.

The marching band, like other extracurriculars, has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Regulations such as social distancing, horn bell covers, masks and limited practice times have been handed down to Iowa high school band programs from the state music association.

Due to coronavirus concerns many schools canceled their home invitationals, leaving marching bands with no place to compete. With competitions canceled, many schools across the state did not prepare a show for this year.

However, the Mt. Pleasant Community High School music program was not going to let its program follow suit. The band's director, Jim DePreist, created the first socially distanced show for the Panther Marching Band, an adaptation of a past show, 'The Prince Of Egypt.”

With grocery bags covering their horns, the Panthers began to learn, practice and rehearse their show during band camp over the summer, ready in time to play during the football team's first home game of the season - this time with Maroon Cloth covers on their horns instead of Walmart and Hy-Vee sacks.

Although the band will only compete once this season, the band continued to bring its all to the halftime performances, according to DePreist.

'The pure joy of performance has come back this year. We're not concentrating on winning or losing the contest, instead we're concentrating on being good,” DePreist said.

The band still is excited to compete in the All-State Contest this weekend.

The Iowa High School Music Association, will be holding its annual competition virtually this year via Competition Suite, an online platform developed by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Bands who are competing are required to record their performance and upload the video file into the suite.

The Panther marching band will be recording its show this Saturday on Evans Field. The Panthers will not have an audience except for family members of the band members.

Members of the band are more than excited to perform this season.

'It gives us something to work toward. The kids love performances but having the unknown and having someone evaluate you. I think that is really important,” DePriest said.

Drummer Nicholas Holtkamp, who also plays on the Panthers varsity football team, hasn't been able to perform at all this season.

'I'm happy that we can at least compete once. It makes a lot of it worth it,” Holtkamp said.

The Panthers have a legacy to uphold this Saturday. The band has received 32 consecutive 'one” ratings at the All-State Contest, the best possible score a band can receive at the competition.

The band also performs its last halftime show of the season Friday, at the last home football game of the season.

However different the season may be, many seniors are thankful there still is a season, including trumpet player Brock Myers.

'It's different, but we're still having a marching band season. Most schools aren't even having a marching band season, so to have it still is a privilege,” Myers said.