Holden McKean

Max Sheils conducts the band.

A drum major is the person in the band who conducts and leads the band. This school year the SCHS Band of Pirates has just over 50 members which calls for more leadership. Second year drum major Max Sheils is now accompanied by Colleen Ney as a second drum major. This a new experience for her as she has been in band since the fifth grade, but has not been the drum major in the previous school year. 

“I played percussion, but I also dabbled a little bit in the alto saxophone,” Ney said.

Like Ney, Sheils has been involved in band for a long time.

“I’ve been in band since the fourth grade so seven years”

Sheils and Ney are both happy with Band Director Ryan Blankenship’s decision to have two drum majors this year.

“Ultimately, yes I chose to have two drum majors this year. Like any other position, when there is a need seen for a position to open, it must be filled,” Blankenship said.

Blankenship is also very happy with the decision of having two drum majors this year; he thinks it creates a better environment.

“Sometimes the band is closer together and other times far apart. This can create quite the environment for our tempo to be inconsistent. That is where the drum majors come in. They are the glue that holds a band together,” Blankenship added.

This new era of leadership isn’t only enjoyable, but helpful to the drum majors.

“We just kind of split roles how we want to. I want to run warm ups that day, I do. If he wants to he does,” Ney said.