Meet the WMB Council
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- Parent Category: Athletic Bands
- Category: Wildcat Marching Band Tuesday, 12 May 2009 13:46 Published Date Casey Goodwin Hits: 1588
Name: Amy Landry
Instrument: Saxophone
Position: Drum Major
Year in School: Junior
Year in WMB: 3
Major: BMS: Medical Microbiology
Hometown: Salem, NH
Favorite WMB Memory: "We regrouped and formed a marching block at the far end of the football field. I watched the seconds of the clock slowly count down closer to the start of the highly-anticipated game. We received our queue to begin the show. The drum line tapped the beat as we marched forward, immediately shifting gears to 'performance mode.' This was it. This is what we had been looking forward to all day. As lied the band across The Patriots end zone, I tried not to think about the thousands of people watching and all of the cameras surrounding us. I was a little nervous, but I also felt extremely excited and proud. I took my place on the podium as we performed our show. Although I knew I had to stay focused, I could not help but glance up to the sides of the field where I could see close-ups of the WMB on the enormous viewing screens. I could no longer hold back my smile.
"Looking back at all my experiences with the Wildcat Marching Band, so far, one of my most favorite moments was when we performed in front of thousands of people at Gillette Stadium. I can still remember how exciting it was that day and that I almost freaked out when we walked onto the field for the first time to see the UNH Wildcats logo painted on the same field as The Patriots logo. More than just the rush of adrenaline, though, I felt all of the emotions and hard work the WMB put in throughout the season culminating into that performance. With the pressure of thousands of people watching, we wanted to look and sound our best that day. I believe we did."
Name: Stephanie Mailhot
Section: Saxophone
Position: Drum Major
Year in School: Junior
Year in WMB: 3
Major: Music Education
Hometown: Belchertown, MA
Favorite WMB Memory: "Not many people would claim this as a favorite memory, but from this season I vividly recall the rehearsal near the beginning of the year when mother natured decided to soak the band. The precipitation seemed quite literally to be heavy fog the way it fell, misting everything. I could hardly see through my glasses, so I put them away in my pocket, the music coming from memory and my legs taking me through the drill. The wind make the water swirl in the air over the fields and I was exactly where I wanted to be, out there in the wet and chill, remaining devoted to rehearsal and one heck of a marching band."
Name: Dani Eddows
Section: Flute/Piccolo
Position: Drum Major
Year in School: Junior
Year in WMB: 3
Major: Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology
Hometown: Salem, MA
Favorite WMB Memory: "Throughout my two seasons with the WMB I have accumulated many great memories that I am
sure will stay with me forever. However, my favorite and closest to my heart, strangely enough was an
event which would seem rather insignificant to many. This would be performing the show during
rehearsal for the seniors this past season. While all of our actual performances were wonderful (and
surely much cleaner), it is this run through that makes me remember why I love marching band so much.
This group was the first group of seniors that I had really gotten to know well as I had performed with
them for two seasons, not to mention the fact that my Big Brother in Kappa Kappa Psi was among them.
I feel as though in that moment, we were able to show them what they were leaving behind while at the
same time proving to ourselves that we had accomplished something worth remembering throughout
the season. While our performance at Gillette sent a rush through me, I felt just as proud hitting the
sideline after that run through at rehearsal as I did in that stadium. It really reminded me why I do this
and I am sure there are many more moments like this to come."
Name: Jenny Long
Section: Flute/Piccolo ("Fliccolo")
Position: Marching Section Leader
Year in School: Senior
Year in WMB: 4
Major: Psychology/Applied Animal Science
Hometown: Exeter, NH
Favorite WMB Memory: "This year [a new member] was struggling to learn how to march and I tried to help as much as I could during band camp and in sectionals during the season without really singling her out, but she still wasn't really getting it. So, I asked after rehearsal one day if she wanted to spend some time working on marching with me and she had apparently been thinking of asking me for help and had been really stressing about not getting it. We then spent about an hour before the next rehearsal just going over all the basics in the courtyard of the PCAC. It was really rewarding for me to be able to help someone like that, especially when I started to see it pay off during rehearsal. I still remember the first time she stepped off correctly for Get On Your Feet and it literally gave me goosebumps I was so proud."
Name: Emily Boone
Section: Flute/Piccolo ("Fliccolo")
Position: Music Section Leader
Year in School: Junior
Year in WMB: 3
Major: Music Education
Hometown: Colchester, VT
Favorite WMB Memory: "My favorite memory from band is not one concrete moment in time, but a collection of smaller instances. It is a mixture of the appreciation of playing for different bands and audiences that understand what band is really all about, as well as times from game days and band camp when band members could really get to know each other. When something becomes such a large part of your life, I think there are many different sides of what makes it important. In this community of people, I think there is a strong appreciation for the hard work that members put into something they enjoy doing, and when you put that much of yourself into one activity, you become a part of a larger community. That is what I truly love about this group of people. Through everything and anything, the larger group is what is important and everyone is striving for a common goal."
Name: Stephanie Blevens
Section: Clarinet
Position: Section Leader
Year in School: Senior
Year in WMB: 4
Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Bedford, NH
Favorite WMB Memory: "I love being a part of the UNH WMB. In the past three years, I have had so many wonderful experiences. I have made so many friends and memories in this marching band. It is hard to think of just one favorite memory. However, one of my favorite memories is definitely marching through Magic Kingdom in Disney World. I had never done anything like that before and it is a memory I will certainly never forget."
Name: Alison Heleen
Section: Saxophone ("Saxophi")
Position: Section Leader
Year in School: Senior
Year in WMB: 4
Major: Music Education
Hometown: Bourne, MA
Favorite WMB Memory: "I have a long list of favorite marching band memories. One that
comes to mind now is the performance of the Lion King show at South
Portland during my freshman year. I know that I certainly didn’t have a
perfect show that night, even though the colorguard did, but I do
remember feeling like there was something special about that particular
night. It was like I was in another world when I was on the field. Another
good memory is, of course, experiencing Walt Disney World with my
fellow band members. Marching around the Magic Kingdom playing
Green Day was honestly a dream come true. I got to be in my favorite
place, playing music by my favorite band, doing one of my favorite things,
marching. The opportunities that the WMB has given me have been
incredible. Like I said earlier, I’m so glad I didn’t give up, and I can’t wait
to see what happens next year."
Name: Will Rideout
Section: Trumpet
Position: Section Leader
Year in School: Senior
Year in WMB: 4
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: Sanford, ME
Favorite WMB Memory: "Throughout the course of my experiences with the Wildcat Marching Band, several distinct moments stand out specifically. The first actually occurred before I was an official member of the WMB-- indeed, I was not yet a student of the University! The memory I am referring to is the Wildcat for a Day event that I attended as a high school student. It was actually then that I decided to attend the University on account of my experience with the marching band. I definitely felt that I was already a member of the marching band; the group was extremely inviting to me as a “wildkitten” (as we call them now), and just plain fun to play and perform with. The second memory with the WMB that comes to mind was my first awaygame during my freshman year of college, when we went to West Point. The strongest memory of that trip is not the size of the stadium, or the sheer number of fans in attendance, or even the football game we saw. What I remember most about this trip is the rain. It absolutely poured. We were all soaked to the bone, but had a blast anyway."
Name: Amy Varga
Section: Trumpet
Position: Section Leader
Year in School: Senior
Year in WMB: 4
Major: Environmental Conservation
Hometown: Fairfield, CT
Favorite WMB Memory: "My favorite memory from the WMB has been traveling to Disney and performing in Gillette Stadium. Disney really unified the band and alumni with the 26 hour drive down. It was also was a once in a lifetime experience for me to march down main street in Disney. Gillette was another great experience; we were one of the first college bands to ever perform a half time show on that field."
Name: Andreas Wigger
Section: Trombone
Position: Section Leader (Low Brass)
Year in School: Sophomore
Year in WMB: 2
Major: Computer Engineering
Hometown: Dover, NH
Favorite WMB Memory: "My favorite memory from being in the WMB is when we went to Gillette Stadium. The entire day was amazing. The initial rehearsal in the empty stadium was breathtaking but when we played halftime in front of32,000 fans I couldn't believe it. The entire trip was everything I ever wanted to do with a college marching band. It will be a hard memory to top but I'm sure I'm going to have even more great memories like this with the WMB."
Name: Aiden Durocher
Section: Drumline
Position: Section Leader
Year in School: Junior
Year in WMB: 3
Major: Music Education
Hometown: Manchester, NH
Favorite WMB Memory: "I've got to say that my favorite memory has still got to be playing at Towson. The atmosphere was great, they played Tank and they had a screamer on a G bugle. 'Nuff said."
Name: Heather Ware
Section: Colorguard
Position: Captain
Year in School: Junior
Year in WMB: 3
Major: Music Education
Hometown: Kearny, NJ
Favorite WMB Memory: "When I finished high school I thought my spinning days might be over, but once I began talking to the UNH Color Guard girls I knew I couldn't resist spinning in college. I am so happy that I decided to become a part of the WMB. I'm not sure it is possible to pick one memory as my favorite. From color guard dinners to rushing to get ready before games, it bas all been a blast. The best moment so far, though, was Walking onto the field at Gillette Stadium to perform our half time show. It wasn't the size of the stadium that made it so special to me because I have performed in NFL stadiums before. Walking onto that field with that group of people and smiling up at the thousands of fans dressed in their best Wildcat blue and white is what made it special. I'm not sure if the feeling I got that day can be topped."
Name: Chloë Garrage
Section: Mellophone
Position: WMB Council Member-at-Large
Year in School: Junior
Year in WMB: 3
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Bellingham, MA
Favorite WMB Memory: "My favorite memory from being in the WMB would have to be when we went to Gillette Stadium to play at the Colonial Clash. I actually describe this day as the best day ever. I felt famous when we did our halftime show for the UMass and UNH fans. It was fun to show off to the UMass band and to see their show. I also really liked the burritos"
Name: Aivry Jett
Section: Colorguard
Position: WMB Council Member-at-Large
Year in School: Senior
Year in WMB: 4
Major: Nursing
Hometown: Sanford, ME
Favorite WMB Memory: "Three years is a long time to pick one particular favorite memory. I've loved every minute of it. Every game, every performance, and every away trip has brought new unforgettable memories. Out of all of that, my favorite times have not been while on the field, nor even on the buses going to Maryland or Disney, but it has been those special moments spent with my closest friends in band and colorguard. The jokes we've shared, our fears, our dreams—those have been some of the best times I've had. That's when I’ve realized the friendships that have been forged from something so special—the love of marching band."
Name: Patrick MacArthur
Section: Clarinet
Position: WMB Council Member-at-Large
Year in School: Senior
Year in WMB: 4
Major: Computer Science
Hometown: East Hampstead, NH
Favorite WMB Memory: "It is difficult to pick a specific favorite memory from my time in the UNHWMB. I have had all sorts of wonderful experiences: the combined UNH-BU band after our performance at the MBDA finals in 2008, the homecoming football game in 2009, the Towson/Allentown trip in 2009, the Disney trip in 2009-10, and the Gillette Colonial Clash game in 2010. Also, although not a specific moment, marching down Main Street to the football field before pregame every home game is one of my favorite parts of my UNHWMB experience. If I had to pick a single favorite memory, it would be marching onto the field for the pregame show at Gillette, knowing that we were [one of] the first marching band[s] ever to perform at Gillette Stadium."
Name: Jessica St. Germain
Section: Colorguard
Position: WMB Council Member-at-Large
Year in School: Senior
Year in WMB: 4
Major: Family Studies
Hometown: Seekonk, MA
Favorite WMB Memory: "My favorite memory from being in the WMB isn’t one particular memory, it’s several based on a shared feeling. That feeling is success, not as an individual, but as a team. Nothing beats the first time we pull it together or we nail a song during a performance because for that moment, we’re all feeling the same thing, pride, happiness, accomplishment, and teamwork. Success feels so much better when it’s shared than when it’s individual. I don’t know why and I don’t really know how to explain it, I just know it is. A great example of this is MBDA Finals my freshman year because the guard looked amazing and the rest of the band performed at a level to match, which created a complete, well done performance. The band as a whole shared the same feeling of success and accomplishment coming off the field, and I personally remember feeling so proud to be a part of the WMB because it all came together and made our hard work worthwhile. It’s moments like these that remind us why we keep doing this and the importance of working hard now in order to reach and possibly exceed the group’s potential at some point in the season."
Name: Breanna Travers
Section: Drumline
Position: WMB Council Member-at-Large
Year in School: Senior
Year in WMB: 4
Major: Biology
Hometown: Raymond, NH
Favorite WMB Memory: "My most favorite memory from being in the WMB was last year when Sarah Burhoe and I won the march-off. To my knowledge, this was the only time that members of the drumline had been victorious in this event and it was truly an amazing feeling!"
Last Updated on Wednesday, 08 June 2011 18:52
