After being shut down by the pandemic, the Pep Band has returned full of enthusiastic musicians who hope to bring new energy to Algonquin events.
The Algonquin Pep Band fully dissolved during the COVID pandemic, and Melican Middle School Band Director Anna Damigella was the main force behind the organization’s restarting. The process has entailed recruiting new members, scheduling rehearsals and picking out music.
According to Damigella, pep bands focus on playing fun, popular music to large audiences and building connections between members of the band.
“It’s a great way to get to know the students more personally and more who they are as people,” Damigella said. “A lot of it is us spending time together at the football games and during the downtime, we’re really able to get to know each other and form those connections.”
Their catalog of music includes “The Star Spangled Banner” by Francis Scott Key, “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor, “Tequila” by The Champs and other popular rock and pop songs.
“The students and audience members will really enjoy the fun music we play,” Damigella said.
Damigella has played trumpet throughout her life, earning a degree in music education and a performance degree from Ithaca College. She also played in her school’s pep band throughout high school.
“The most special part of being in a pep band is the community you form, and being able to celebrate that,” Damigella said. “It’s such a fun experience to have.”
The group, which has eight players, rehearses on Thursdays after school for an hour and plays at the Friday night home football games.
“[Pep band practices are] great, short, get the job done and efficient,” freshman percussionist Ian Tregger said. “While the band will primarily focus on the football games, they are also performing at parades, one basketball game and one hockey game.”
Along with entertaining the public, the pep band has provided opportunities for students to grow relationships with their fellow peers.
“The pep band has improved my life,” Tregger said. “I’ve met good new people, and it’s good to see my old band director from middle school again.”
