“We are not just going to be handed the win because we are River Falls. We want to truly earn it both on and off the field."”

Color Guard Captain Kira Sonnee

RIVER FALLS — What the people at home see from the River Falls Marching Band is plenty of State Championships, including the recent clean sweep of titles at State, performances in massive settings including the home of the Indianapolis Colts and perfect shows every time they perform throughout the area. What they do not see is the nonstop work the group puts in to get to and stay at the top.

“It’s just 100% commitment,” River Falls Instrumental Music Teacher Jake Dreifort said. “A lot of these kids get up and come in every day and work their tails off and love what they do.”

Director Bryan Jaeckel tells the band they have to put in the effort so that they are undeniable when they take the stage. That is a message that has resonated with some of the band’s senior leaders.

“It’s based off of what we do, not how we do it,” alto saxophone player Sebastian Cerne said. “It’s not just, oh, we do well, so we’re proud of our show. We’re proud of our show on a level deeper.”

“We’ve kind of built a culture off of doing it not because we have to do it, it’s not a chore, it’s something we really want to do for each other,” trumpet player Ella Pierce said.

Pierce mentioned they go through long days of practice including “drill week,” where they spend an entire week learning an ensemble.

The students said they feel emotional when they are about to begin a performance because of how hard they have worked and the pure cohesion of the group.

“It also makes a difference that everybody seems to really care about the show this year,” Kira Sonnee, a color guard captain, said. “Watching different bands, you can see when they’re doing it just to perform versus when they actually care about the product they’re putting on.”

Drum major Clodagh Egan said from the vantage point above the band, it brings a tear to the eye to see the team ready to begin at State. It was the best show they have put on in four years according to Egan, and the judges concurred by voting the Wildcats to the titles of Best Color Guard, Best Percussion, Best Visual Performance and Best Musical Presentation along with the overall WSMA Class AAA win. The team has won five consecutive Class AAA titles.

“We are not just going to be handed the win because we are River Falls. We want to truly earn it both on and off the field,” Sonnee said. “It’s not just how well we perform on the field that impresses me. It’s how kind all of our band members are to each other and then, especially to other bands off the field.”

Marching band competitions are unique in that bands are not rooting against other bands, booing or hoping for a mistake.

“It’s so rooted in art and in expression,” Pierce said. “I go to competitions and I want every band to have their very best run, and then, at the end of the day, if we have the best run out of everyone’s best run, that’s amazing and that’s just a bonus for me.”

The trip to Indianapolis was a prime example of that, as members of the River Falls Marching Band became friends with members of other bands. Even within the band, friends are made across instrument groups and within.

“We’re kind of one big family. I see so much interaction within the sections,” Egan said. “That helps the bonds across the entire band. It also helps everybody getting everything in-sync.”

For those who have thought about joining the band, but have had second thoughts, those who have been a part of it are looking to welcome people with open arms.

“I probably would just have them come talk to anyone in band,” Dreifort said. “As someone being new here too, they just have this crazy way of making you feel like family.”

“Everyone has a role. There are no extra parts that are given out where they sit on the sideline,” trumpet player Dawson Voiles said. “Everyone has their moment. Each section, each individual person has their own weight to pull in the band and they’re all important.”

Egan said the directors tell the members that students often return to the school saying they regret never joining the band; however, they never return to the school and say they regret being a part of it.

“We’re not here to force everyone to go into music or music education [beyond high school] because we think that there’s all the intangibles that come with it too,” Dreifort said. “The hope is that you go out and you get inspired, you get a sense of perspective when you see other groups and other kids.”

Pierce got through learning the entire ensemble, and right when the team was building excitement to hit the road and compete, an ACL tear derailed things. Pierce did not realize truly how much the band meant until going through a role change. Despite the injury, Pierce adapted to a new plan and has remained a key part of the team.

“Savor every moment,” Pierce said. “I had taken being a part of this ensemble for granted, to an extent.”

A lot of hard work goes into being a member of the band, Cerne said, yet the good times always seem to outweigh the work. He looks back fondly on making friends from other bands at competitions and just hanging out with the team on the buses.

“It’s a privilege to be on the field,” Voiles said. “Especially when we had our encore performance. That was something we earned, and we felt we earned it, and we showed people that we earned it and it felt amazing.”

“You see the passion that everybody has, and it drives you to go further,” Sonnee said. “Obviously, it’s a competition sport, so you want to be the best, but marching band is really a special community in that everybody really cares about each other.”

When a part of the River Falls Marching Band, it takes every piece of the puzzle to form the perfect picture.

“There will always be a place for you,” Egan said.