Saturday Night
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 7:29AM Most recent Ohio State University Marching Band post
The Ohio State University Marching Band is a great big organization, and it plays in great big places in front of great numbers of people. And so it can make great big statements.
It did this on Saturday, the day before the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
Here's what else happened that day.
You have just seen members of the Alumni Band joining several current members of the OSUMB to welcome home some of Central Ohio's heroes from an Honor Flight, which ferries WWII veterans to see their memorial in Washington, DC. The flight was delayed, and as we waited, the ad hoc band played the Armed Forces Medley. 
Arrivals
Part of my undergraduate degree was earned in American History. Another is in political science. I've stood on the beaches of Normandy, shaken the hands of men who have walked on the Moon, looked out at the world from the summit of Pikes Peak, worked on a shoestring Congressional campaign which unseated a well-funded incumbent, and closed the shutters of the window over a table where John Hancock and Sam Adams sat and discussed what to do with the news this fellow Paul Revere had just brought. And this-- here in this low-ceiling, badly lit, horribly accousticed baggage claim terminal-- is one of the most profound experiences I have ever had as an American citizen.
There was no Drum Major. You couldn't have seen one anyway, so packed was the crowd, and the flash of the baton would have been fleeting beneath the dull flu
Flags for each service branch awaited the vets.orescent lights.
There was, however, a cadre of citizens waiting with flags representing each service branch. In the aisle created for the returning veterans, they began to parade them as the songs rolled past-- women in jeans with purses over their arms and senior citizens wearing golf shirts.
In the "America the Beautiful" tribute at the football game, Band alternates unfurled an enormous stars and bars banner, a maneuver which demanded enormous coordination, practice, and spot-on timing, the students at the point edges nearly rocked off their feet by the force of the thing snapping into place over the 50 yard line.
When this arrangement--one by OSUMB alum John Brennan, who brilliantly twined the strains of the National Anthem into the final measures-- was played at the open rehearsal prior just before the game, the crowd roared to its feet at the crescendo and stayed there through the rest of the song, the integrity of the floorboards no match for the weight of the brass and the drums and the thousands of spectators surprised 
The crowd greets a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge.and relieved and proud to scream out a release of grief and gratitude and love like this, here on the day before September 11, 2011.
And both moments were christened by the tears of grown men, some who have given their student lives and discretionary tee shirt spending over to Ohio State, some who could care less for the scarlet and grey pom poms hanging from the signs of the luggage carousel.
Saturday afternoon performances are what make this Band famous. They are spectacular. They are monstrous productions with thousands of moving parts, each edge sharply folded. These tour de forces spill over the borders of this wide state, 
Assistant Director Jon Waters holding it all togetherfirmly and properly entrenching OSUMB in American culture.
But Saturday night I stood balanced on the edge of a luggage carousel, watching a Korean and Vietnam vet give up their place in the rope line to a recent returnee from Iraq, her hair swept back from a fine-lined face. Their hands struck the same beats of "The Stars and Stripes Forever." 
"Carmen Ohio" on the bagpipes
The little band played the alma mater, "Carmen Ohio." They were answered by a bagpipe corps' version of the same, and the students, who had been in full wool and discomfort-constructed uniform since five in the morning, held their arms in the air to form the letters of Ohio. Fully caped members of the Knights of Columbus stood attention and returnees filed through to cries of "Thank you! Thank you!"
As the crowd dissipated, a man wearing a tee shirt bearing the name of his Marine battalion and a baseball cap proclaiming his participation in the Vietnam War sought out Mel Ponzi, who shepherds this particular section of the Alumni Band through such performances. "Thank you," he said, hol
The welcome he never got: After thanking the Alumni Band, this Vietnam vet greeted a current service member.ding out his hand to the man with the sousaphone. "You guys got it going."
"What is it about music?" I was asked when I sat for this interview. My response did not make the final cut, largely because it was incoherent, but here is what I do know: I was forced to amend my answer on that Saturday night, that day before September 11, 2011, for just as we all left that wretched little airport herding ground, we sang "God Bless America" a capella, without a snare or a trombone to lead us, exactly as members of Congress did on the steps of the Capitol that had been saved that morning by the passengers of Flight 93. And we got to the part about the mountains and the prairies, and the loudspeaker blared an automatic security announcement about checking boarding passes and taking shoes off. And we sang right over it.
Because just as music sometimes has nothing to do with instruments, a college marching band sometimes has absolutely nothing to do with college football.
Reader Comments (58)
MB, sometimes you make me cry. Thank you for sharing.
THANK YOU VETS!!!!!!!!
I am very proud of my school, my state, and my country.
What a gorgeous moment, all of them.
(salutes)
thank you, troops
Mary Beth, this is by far my favorite post you have written so far. It beautifully describes what is special about this Band and how it can make an incredible moment like this even better.
"MB, sometimes you make me cry. Thank you for sharing."
+infinity
Thank you for linking in the arranger of that BEAUTIFUL version of "America the Beautiful," Mary Beth. Loved it. What talent and passion.
Miss Belle, even on your last iota of energy, you're still better than 99% of anybody else out there.
"exactly as members of Congress did on the steps of the Capitol that had been saved that morning by the passengers of Flight 93"
I was fine until I got to this line and teared up immediately. That was quite a moment.
we love you vets and troops!
What an incredible picture of that vet and service member. WOW.
And we got to the part about the mountains and the prairies, and the loudspeaker blared an automatic security announcement about checking boarding passes and taking shoes off. And we sang right over it.
This is amazingly powerful juxtaposition, dear Tink. Terrific descriptions of amazing moments.
"a college marching band sometimes has absolutely nothing to do with college football."
Yep. That's why we're here :)
God bless these men and women.
Both of those videos are so worth the watch. Great.
I had no idea the Band did stuff like this.
I'm awfully glad it does!
LOVE that picture at the top with the Band members standing by the arrivals screen!
But still not as good as the word pictures our Belle paints for us. Keep kicking, MB, we know you're tired but I don't think I have to remind you how worth it this is.
"Band alternates unfurled an enormous stars and bars banner, a maneuver which demanded enormous coordination, practice, and spot-on timing, the students at the point edges nearly lifted off their feet by the force of the thing snapping into place over the 50 yard line"
And perfectly done. Hooray for the alternates.
Ohio State should be very proud of these young men and women. I am sure they considered this an honor.
Hello everyone! I am sorry there has been very little talk time between MB and I. Today I finally caught up with reading all of her posts in the last week. MB is right, once the season started I switched gears into extremely focused drum major mode. I have had very little time to catch my breath or even catch up with friends and family outside of band. Even the upcoming "free weekend" is not free for me. This is the busiest and most stressful time of year for me, even more stressful than tryouts. But it is also a ton of fun. Fun that can only be had when you make every preparation necessary (Its a lot of prepping). I hope this fills you all in a little. I hope to drop in again soon.
Jason
USA!! USA!!
This is just so moving. My BUCKS saluting my country and the men and women who serve it, nothing better.
How touching to see the alums side by side with the students at a moment like this.
JASON....!!!!!!!!!
THE READERS, halt kick DOWN!
Jason The Awesome has come among us.
Mary Beth I am very proud of you for not falling off the luggage carousel.
Seriously, however, stories like this kind of thing that bring me back each and every day.
We are honored by your presence, Mr Stuckert :)
Ah, THERE'S Our Jason!
I guess Belle does know what she's talking about every now and then...
Jason if you are still out there reading we are so excited you dropped in! Thank you for taking the time to say hi. We hope you're having a great season.
Go forth and be Jason The Awesome! We'll be here when you get back :)
It is now officially a Very Very Good Day :)
WE LOVE YOU JAAAASOOOOOOOOON!
"Fun that can only be had when you make every preparation necessary (Its a lot of prepping)."
No doubt! There's no way you get as great as you are Jason on pure talent. Enjoy this amazing time in your life!
Thank you for stopping in and for letting us follow your season via Miss Tink, Jason. We all love to read about your adventures with her and what it's like to lead the Best Damn Band in the Land! Have fun :)
This post is nothing but inspiring. Showing your fastball Tink.
Jason The Ridiculously Awesome, even if you can't hear us cheering for OSUMB and you from several states away, we are!
extremely focused drum major mode
and that is what makes him Awesome :)
We've always been bowled over by what you can do, Jason, and now even more so that we can enjoy it along with the rest of the band. Take care of yourself though! There are all kinds of worlds for you to destroy once the season is done!!
Mary Beth I am very proud of you for not falling off the luggage carousel.
She's so adorable when she demonstrates mastery of basic adult motor skills.
BlondeChampagne: Go to bed with one comment on the string, wake up to the presence of Jason The Ridiculously Awesome Drum Major. and all the people saying amen.
What a great story and we are beyond thrilled to have heard from you, Jason! You make this Buckeye VERY proud. I love sending around your videos and MB's posts about you and saying "This is OUR Drum Major!"
"I hope this fills you all in a little. I hope to drop in again soon."
It does! Thank you Jason, we absolutely adore hearing from you.
OORAH!!!!!! God bless our vets.
go band go!
Miss Belle and Jason give each other hugs from us :)
" MB is right"
-Jason The Ridiculously Awesome
So when does the gross of tee shirts with this printed on it get delivered?
"She's so adorable when she demonstrates mastery of basic adult motor skills."
Well, it happens so seldom. It should be noted when it does.
It means a lot that you took a few moments to check in here, Jason The Awesome.
We think you're kind of neat.
All gave some... some gave all... thank you vets and go bucks!
Go Bucks! Go band!