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Mustangs’ music travels back in time

By Greg Williams 4 min read

Editor's note: This is the third in a series of stories featuring high school marching bands from across the Juniata Valley.

MIDDLEBURG -- The Midd-West High School Mustangs Marching Band hoping to bring more school spirit to Friday night football games by taking fans back in time.

The marching Mustangs' theme this season is "Stadium Jams of the 1970s," Marching Band Director Stacy Hostetter explained. "Our show this year hopes to get the crowd involved by yelling, stomping, clapping and swaying of hands.

"The hope is by the end of the season to even have the faculty participate," she added.

The music certainly should get the crowd revved up, with favorites "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" by Queen; "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks; "Rock and Roll Part 2 -- The Hey Song" by Gary Glitter; "Takin' Care of Business" by Bachman Turner Overdrive; and "Gonna Fly Now" from the 1976 film "Rocky."

The band has 39 members this year, including drum major Skyylar Epley. "Skyylar is very good at what he does," Hostetter said of the senior. "He's been a member since he was in eighth grade, so he's very dedicated."

Fans might notice the Mustangs don't have a conductor for their first two numbers. That's because Epley is only one of three trumpeters, and the trumpets are featured at the start of the show. "After that, he goes up and conducts," Hostetter said.

Now in its sixth year at Midd-West, the band is still relatively new. Hostetter, who has been the director from the get-go, said the program was created with the addition of football.

"They've always had a marching band at Midd-West, but it was just a parade band," she added. "When they started football, they wanted a band to go with it."

Hostetter previously had been involved with the marching band at Newport High School.

While the band sounds much louder than its size. That's due largely to the hard work members put in over the summer months. "Even though we've tiny," Hostetter said. "We're very loud because we have everything memorized. It doesn't sound like a group of 39, it sounds like a group of 70."

Hostetter said the band is definitely still in its growing stage. Their next step is to re-establish its band boosters and raise monies to purchase new uniforms. "We're still in sweatpants and polos," Hostetter said. "We'd like to get new marching band uniforms, but they're $700 per uniform."

Hostetter believes this year's band will be successful because of its hard work and dedication during band summer this past summer. Camp ran for six days from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the sweltering heat. By the end of camp, the band was able to learn drills for their entire show and memorize their music.

Not an easy task considering one-third of the band is new.

"The upperclassmen have stepped up to help the new members become acclimated to marching band," Hostetter said. "Each week, the show becomes better and better."

Hostetter also wanted to finish band camp before the start of fall sports practices, so her members could compete in other activities. "We went from the end of July until early August," she added. "With the heat wave, it felt like 104 when that hit."

The Mustangs band is also thrilled to be performing at Midd-West's brand-new football stadium this fall.

"We're getting to know the ins and outs of everything, like the best place to enter and leave the field," Hostetter said. "Everything like that."

The first three seasons, games were held at the West Snyder Elementary School field. It felt like road games at times. "It was very tiring because we had to pack up everything and take it there," she explained.

The band is looking forward to Homecoming on Oct. 13 as well as performing at the Susquehanna Valley Band Marching Showcase at 6 p.m. tonight at Milton High School's Alumni Stadium. The showcase features marching bands from Midd-West, Lewisburg, Mifflinburg, Selinsgrove, Shikellamy, Warrior Run and host Milton.

"We get to perform our show for other bands in the area," Hostetter said. "It's very different from a football game or a parade. We're excited because we get to open that up and go first."

The band will also host Community Day at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 at Midd-West High School Football Stadium. The band will hold a special performance of this year's field show. Senior band members will also be honored at the event and additional performances will feature different sections of the band. Admission to the event is free; however, donations will be accepted for purchasing new band uniforms.

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