MCHS Band aims to make crowd choose between light or darkness
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Editor's note: This is the first in a series of stories featuring high school marching bands from across the Juniata Valley.
LEWISTOWN -- The Mifflin County High School Marching Band has one question for its audiences at Friday night football games: Do you pick light or darkness?
It references this year's show theme, "Human Nature: Angels and Demons -- Divided Within."
"The show depicts the eternal battle between darkness and light," said Mifflin County Band Director Art Belfiore, who is beginning his 43rd year as director of bands including 33 in Mifflin County. "The music is based on the Russian Hymn, "Salvation is Created" and "The Inferno."
Music performed includes "The Inferno," "The Battle Eternal," "The Dark Brigade," "Salvation is Created" and "Dark vs. Light."
Typically, Mifflin County performs during the pregame at home games, while it varies at away games between halftime and pregame.
This year, the band has 80 members in it, including 59 musicians and 21 color guard. The drum majors are junior Ava Liebegott and senior Alaina Sharp. "Both have been conductors in the past," Belfiore said. "Both girls are doing a great job.
"When they are not on the podium conducting, they are on the field performing," he added. "Both are piccolo players. Their strengths are their leadership abilities, poise both on the podium and on the field and they are excellent musicians."
Belfiore said band camp went great.
"We had one of the best band camps ever," he explained. "The group learned more drill sets during camp than we learned in all of last year. Our returnees are very strong, and our rookie class is extremely strong."
The Husky marching band, along with staff, parents and music boosters are excited to have the band perform at both football games and band competitions.
"Our first competition is Saturday, Sept. 16, at Conemaugh Township High School, Davidsville, Pa., which is just outside Johnstown.
"We are looking forward to competing in a new classification this year," Belfiore said. "We were promoted by the Tournament of Bands from the A Class to the Open Class after last season."
The band was promoted because they exceeded the 92-point threshold in three of five categories they were scored in at a competition.
"We exceeded the threshold in all five categories at both the TOB PA State Championship and TOB Atlantic Coast Championship last year," Belfiore said. "Our competition this year will be more extreme than in the past. It will be a great challenge for the band and staff, but we have embraced the opportunity."
Catch the Husky Marching Band Friday night when the football team travels to face Lower Dauphin, starting at 7 p.m. at Mitchell Field.