Millstone musicians help N'awlins soundwave swell

No other city in the country has bands at the heart of its history like New Orleans. Two young musicians from Millstone are playing a part in that living history. As drum major and assistant drum major respectively, former Allentown High School (AHS) Redbird Marching Band members Allison Feibus and Kyrsten Melander now lead the Tulane University Marching Band (TUMB) in performances at Green Wave games in the Superdome, other Tulane events and Mardi Gras.

Millstone's Allison Feibus serves as the drum major of the Tulane University Marching Band in New Orleans. "It's awesome," Feibus said. "We had a really good high school band program in which we both had leadership positions. We went on with the same mindsets and high expectations."

Feibus, a junior at Tulane, has played the saxophone since the fourth grade. Melander, a sophomore, started playing flute in third grade, and later learned the piccolo and alto sax.

Although Feibus and Melander went to different high schools — Feibus to the Academy of Allied Health and Science in Neptune and Melander to AHS — they both joined the Redbird Marching Band.

Millstone's Kyrsten Melander serves as assistant drum major. "We were very close in high school until she graduated to go to Tulane," Melander said. "I definitely trust her the most out of anyone here because we know so much about each other. On the weekends you can find us at Starbucks drinking coffee and talking about our crazy weeks … we have great communication and always talk to each other if there is a problem."

While Melander did earn the honor of serving as drum major in high school, Feibus wanted to but had to settle for section leader and vice president.

Melander said, "My experience as drum major for AHS is invaluable to me. Although I was trained how to conduct and be a drum major by past band directors, Mr. [Jeff] Santoro has given me the most experience. I still find myself conducting the way he taught me."

The TUMB holds drum major auditions during the spring semester for leaders for the following fall and spring. Each candidate goes through a multi-step tryout process that includes rehearsing the band in a musical section, teaching marching fundamentals and a marching routine, interviewing with the professional staff and also with a student committee, and speaking to the band about why they want the position, according to TUMB Director Barry Spanier.

The Tulane University Marching Band plays at the Superdome in New Orleans, Millstone's Allie Feibus and Kyrsten Melander are positioned outside of the "T" on the 40-yard line on either side. "Both Allie and Kyrsten have demonstrated leadership skills and experience, and both are very good musicians," Spanier said. "They exhibit great passion toward our organization and are excited about what they can add to its development and level of excellence."

Spanier said it is always a steep learning curve for students to develop into a position of leadership among their peers.

"Beyond what they had already proven, Allie and Kyrsten both exhibited the capacity to take direction and guidance, and to learn and grow as drum majors."

Tulane University has a history of significant recruitment from the Northeast and Tri-State region, according to Spanier.

"But in this case it is amazing that two students would be from the same high school band program, and simultaneously be our drum majors here at Tulane," Spanier said. "It indicates that Allentown High School is doing something right."

Spanier said that high school band programs have been ahead of the curve in regards to opportunities for women in student leadership positions, and this has led to more of the same at the collegiate level.

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"When I was in high school in the 70s, two of our three drum majors were women," he said. "In the past four years here at Tulane, four of our seven drum majors have been women."

TUMB drum majors are the top level of student leadership for the marching band. They work with the band's section leaders to keep the on-field operation running smoothly during rehearsals. They also conduct the band at football games and other performances, work with the professional staff to teach new music and marching drill and lead all warm-up sessions.

"Overall they are the highest profile members of the band program, and represent the band to the university and the university to the broader community," Spanier said.

Tulane University was the only Division 1-A football programwithout a marching band for three decades since the mid 1970s. However, students and alumni worked with the administration to start up a new program during the 2003-04 administration to start up a new program during the 2003-04 academic year, according to Spanier.

"I was fortunate to get the new band director position in the summer of 2004," Spanier said. "After a year of laying the groundwork and recruiting, we held our first band camp in late August of 2005. Two days later Hurricane Katrina put an end to the fall semester, as students, faculty, and staff were scattered around the country. We all came back to Tulane University in December and spring classes resumed in January."

The TUMB first performed in public at Mardi Gras in February 2006, with 25 members. Since then, the band has grown each year and now has 80 members.

Feibus said, "When I got to Tulane, the band only had 45 members, but those 45 people became my best friends before the start of freshman year."

She said marching band is a family in which all members support each other.

"I would recommend joining to anyone, whether they played in the band in high school or not," she said.

Spanier said that at the college level, there is a lot more personal responsibility when it comes to marching band participation.

"Nobody has to do this," he said. "They participate because they want to. It is a big time commitment, but the motivation from the students is evident."

Another big difference between high school and college marching band is that a collegiate band does not compete against other bands, according to Melander.

"We are solely there for entertainment, whereas in high school one of our main focuses was for competition," Melander said. "They are not as nit-picky about feet alignment or about the sets in particular, which makes practice a little more fun."

This season, the band is featuring the music of "Tommy" by the Who, and later in the fall it will be presenting music from "Phantom of the Opera" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" for the Halloween season show.

"We strive to present a wide range of music, both for our audiences and for our students to experience," Spanier said. "New Orleans jazz and Mardi Gras repertoire are always present, but we also perform rock- 'n'roll, classical, Broadway and Latin."

For Feibus and Melander, marching band means more than music. Their participation has taught them time management and teamwork. They've learned how to care about the whole instead of the individual, and how to dedicate themselves to something for more than personal benefit.

Spanier said the music and marching teaches responsibility and professionalism.

"We mentor the students to become better team players, better leaders and active members in their communities," he said. "Our students are very motivated and expect to be challenged. That is why they are at Tulane to begin with. This shapes our goals and objectives for the marching band program — to meet those expectations for our members and to produce high-quality and entertaining performances for our audiences."

Feibus and Melander may have reached a higher perch in their marching band careers, but they'll never forget the roots that gave them the wings to achieve their personal best.

"Last winter I went back to AHS to personally thank Mr. Santoro for everything he did for the marching band and I," Melander said. "I love hearing how great the [Redbird Marching Band members] are and are becoming. I still find myself bragging about how good our marching band was. Go AHS!"

Melander, who also plays alto sax for Soundwave, Tulane's student-run pep band, serves as community service chair for that band. She is also the executive community service chairperson for the Tulane University Latin American Studies Organization, an ambassador for the Office of Multicultural Affairs and a big sister for the Newcomb Society. She works as a service-learning assistant for the Center for Public Service and majors in Latin American studies and international relations with a minor in Spanish and business.

Feibus is a member of the school's jazz band and started a Kappa Kappa Psi chapter at Tulane. She is the president of her school's chapter of the national honorary band fraternity that works to garner funds and support for collegiate bands. She is a pre-med and public health major who works in a laboratory.