The Independence Marching Band’s Astonishing Seasonal Success and Favorable Future

As the season wraps up, the Independence Marching Band has walked away from their competitions with first place in their division and third place statewide. Through rigorous training and a caring community, the band has shown great success and improvement at football games, marching exhibitions and competitions, and regional performances; they now move towards preparation for the Concert Band season. Their improvement directly lies with the band director and his students and the training they went through to make it possible.

To start training for the season, Band Director Joseph Karam mentioned the process behind it all, stating, “The students need to be quiet and focused… When practicing, we use a

circle or grid position so students can watch each other and correct each other on the field.”

Karam has been a teacher for nine years and describes IHS as the most welcoming school with the kindest students, and he attributes that to the band’s success, mentioning how the strong community helps players help each other thrive. However, as a relatively new teacher, Karam describes the relationship between him and the students as “authentic,” where he wants to stay “consistent” so he and the students are able to “understand each other more and more.”  

For many members, such as Senior Vianna Young, a French horn player, Marching Band is extremely demanding, with the practices and events clogging up one’s schedule. Likewise, Sophomore Eliana Raskin, a Pit member, agrees, but argues, “I get to learn new songs and rhythms… The best part is basically just playing music for people to witness and enjoy… I get to learn new songs and rhythms… The best part is basically just playing music for people to witness and enjoy… It can get very busy, especially with late night rehearsals and football games and stuff… (but) it does make you happy, it does bring joy out of you.”

As mentioned before, the band competed statewide against other bands, winning first place in their division and third place in state. Young describes it as, “It’s amazing… We got first place… it’s never happened in my four years,” and attributes it to the kind community that Karam has fostered within the band. 

Raskin agrees with Young but attributes the success more towards the community that the band itself fostered, citing Karam’s involvement as a small reason for the compassion present between all band members.

Karam is extremely proud of his band and believes that pride lies more with the students than with him, arguing that he merely steered them towards the “right direction” and thinks them to be “the best students” he’s ever had. They earned that title for themselves through their dedication and hard work. Many band members, like Raskin and Young, agree with Karam. 

However, Karam still keeps a very high bar for his students. Since so many students are returning members, Karam feels disappointed that he didn’t practice as much as he would’ve liked with the members. “My goal for next year is to spend more time on some of the marching and playing practices that we tend to do… It’s a shared vision that this band, and everything that happens in this room, has to be better today than it was yesterday,” Karam said. 

On a personal level, Karam believes the biggest thing is consistency, where, as a relatively new teacher, the students are still trying to figure him and his teaching out. “The relationship between myself and the students has become one that’s very open and honest and I think if it were any other way we wouldn’t be authentic with each other… It takes time for the students to build trust with me, but if I wasn’t staying consistent with those things, it’d make it twice as hard,” he believes. 

As for next semester, Karam plans to properly prepare his students for the concert season. He mainly expects hard work and practice from his students, but most importantly, he wants students to respect the band room and each other and try their best. For those who can’t follow those simple expectations, he thinks that they shouldn’t be there if they won’t put their all into it. 

Music-wise, Karam plans to focus more on the execution of the music over the difficulty. He believes focusing on the execution over the difficulty will “strengthen the foundation” of the song. That “shifting focus” stems primarily from a lack of players, as difficult songs require more players. With a smaller band, hard songs are seemingly impossible for the band to perfect, further adding to that shifting focus that Karam mentions. 

Many students are in agreement with Karam, but many quote a lack of focus and practice as the biggest challenge to the band’s success. “Next semester, the band should improve by paying more attention… more practicing, with either a group or individually,” Raskin said. Young also agrees, and though she believes the band has greatly improved from last year, she also thinks the band needs to pay more attention to the “focus aspect of the band.”

With the end of the season, the Independence Marching Band makes the transition to the Independence Concert Band. For Karam, and all the band members, their main priority is repeating their Marching Band success for Concert Band. As they begin to switch, their members and supporters will be there every step of the way, aiding the band and cheering them on.