Those who attended the November 10th work session of the Garden City Board of Education will never look at a marching band the same way again.

The school board members were actually left speechless after Garden City High School Marching Band Director Brandon Psenicka gave a PowerPoint presentation in which he described the time and effort students must invest in the extra-curricular activity he calls “the ultimate team sport.” There are 79 students participating in this year’s marching band.

Students must have full control of their entire bodies. They are required to march in step and get to a designated spot by taking an exact number of steps that are evenly spaced and timed with the music. They must always be aware of keeping the space consistent between themselves and other musicians. Every member must play and move the exact same way.

Marching band members play the music from memory, and must convey the emotion and story of a chosen theme to the audience. Psenicka is responsible for choosing the themes, which he tries to vary every year to cover a wide array of musical styles.

Members of the color guard synchronize their choreographed movements as they dance, spin and toss colorful flags attached to poles that measure six feet in height. Their role is to provide visual interest and help portray the story of the music and show.

According to Psenicka, the marching band provides students with a sense of community and teamwork as they must all depend on each other to achieve the desired look and sound. He said it is the “ultimate team sport” because there is no “bench”; everyone must contribute at all times. Unlike athletics, there are no cuts made to the band, and there is no trainer, or junior varsity, band.

During competitions, Psenicka explained that he is not allowed on the field when the band is performing. Drum majors serve as the student conductors by stating, stopping and establishing the tempo within all of the music. The conductor also calls out commands and instructions.

New students who are willing and able to make the time commitment to the marching band begin in the spring. They join with the current band in March for five to six rehearsals lasting 2.5 hours each. The “rookies” learn how to march and/or spin a flag. Equally important, they are provided with the music, which must be fully memorized during the summer.

In the spring, the current band rehearses an additional two to three hours for the Memorial Day and Belmont Stakes Parades in the Village. In the fall, they participate in the Homecoming Parade.

In January, Psenicka recruits students who will begin ninth grade in September. He asks for a serious student and parental commitment in June. Sometimes parents are fearful of the demand on their child’s time as they also adjust to their first year of high school. He explains that being a marching band member actually helps the transition as they will be marching with other students who are in their sophomore, junior or senior years. The members of the band form a friendship that lasts throughout their high school career.

The time commitment is daunting for many, Psenicka admits, but also works to sharpen a student’s time management skills. At the end of August, the band reconvenes for a week-long band camp. In September and October, the band rehearses every Wednesday and Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There are also six Saturday rehearsals from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Psenicka said students will often meet in small groups after school to work on individual sections. In the winter, the marching band holds four or five rehearsals, two hours each in length.

Besides parades and football games, the marching band also competes in competitions. They compete with other high school marching bands from the tri-state area, and travel to Syracuse University to perform at the N.Y. State Field Band Conference Championships. They have represented Garden City at Shea Stadium, and are excited about traveling to Walt Disney World in Florida to proudly march down Main Street U.S.A.