Ask a high school band alumnus to recall their favorite band memory, and right away a torrent of thoughts usually pour forth. Before finishing a response, they’ve probably listed at least three or more favorites, likely engaging in self-debate and ultimately unable to determine a single favorite among many wonderful recollections.
Whether traveling on domestic and international band trips, performing in exhibitions and competitions, playing at football games and marching in parades and local events – along with everyone’s own personal favorite band camp story – high school band members create memories and friendships that last a lifetime when participating in band programs. And throughout those specific memories, band alumni cite formation of personal bonds, strong friendships and even lifelong unions among their most revered recollections.
Approaching the 30th anniversary of Carl Harrison High School in the fall of 2021, we asked three decades of former Harrison Bands participants to rate and share their favorite memories with us. To start, we listed 12 band activities and programs, then allowed alumni to add others when responding. Participants could choose as many responses as they wished, then add comments, too.
90%: Band Trips and Travel
Ranking Number One with a whopping 90% response were band trips and travel. For Harrison Bands alumni, favorite memories included trips to New York City for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; Dublin, Ireland, for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade; Orlando, FL, for performances at theme parks; plus cities including New Orleans, Jacksonville, Indianapolis and others for college bowl games, marching exhibitions and national championship band competitions.
“Dublin trip was incredible — minus the 12 hour delay in London. But the Irish Breakfast, parade and sights we got to visit made the trip amazing! I was so thankful to have that kind of an opportunity with our high school band,” wrote a Harrison graduate from 2008.
For a 2020 graduate, it was “Waking up early in the morning in the freezing cold weather to March the streets of New York City in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” while a 1999 graduate recalled “Ringing in the new year together at Sea World during the 1998-99 trip to Orlando.”
81%: Exhibitions and Competitions
Coming in as a strong second-place memory were marching exhibitions and competitions, where Harrison Bands has developed a national reputation for creative, musical and marching excellence. Band members from all decades agree: there’s nothing like the feeling when all those long hours of rehearsal end with the performance of a lifetime.
A 2007 graduate remembered, “Our Grand Nationals appearance in 2007, the semi-finals performance was brilliant. I was fortunate enough to be in the room when we learned we made it to finals. To this day I haven’t witnessed that much pure joy again. It is a moment and weekend I will never forget!”
A 2010 graduate participating in that same performance also remembered, “Marching off the field after we put absolutely everything we had into that performance, we were screaming and cheering at how well we did. We left absolutely everything out on the field. And the announcement a few hours later showed the judges agreed!”
Not all the memories of competitions occurred on the field. Some remembered the after-performance events, including “taking over the Hard Rock Café in Indianapolis and turning it into a giant dance party, as we all danced and sang to YMCA.” Then, according to a 2016 graduate, “Our bus wanted to keep the energy going, and we sand our entire show in our own parts on the way back to the hotel.”
61%: Band Camp!
Finishing as the third-favorite memory of three decades of alumni: Band Camp! As alumni recalled, it can be the worst of times and the best of times.
“Band camp was one of the most difficult things I have done,” wrote a 2016 graduate. “But I look back five years later as my favorite memories. So many friends and relationships were made. Beautiful music was created is scorching heat and we did it together — starting from just a large group of people to a become well-oiled machine.”
From a 1994 Harrison graduate, “I’d have to say my favorite band memories are from Band Camp. As sections were standing in our marked spots on the field getting feedback, the flutes/pics would get very creative and make up our own band camp theme songs to current on-the-radio songs. I can still sing one of them to the tune of MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This.” Creative minds and free time can lead to some really funny memories.“
56%: Football Games
Performing at football games was another favorite memory, and it wasn’t just the march into the stadium or the home crowd cheering wildly after halftimes performances that created lasting memories.
For a 2012 graduate, “My favorite memories are Friday nights, before football games. Running around the school, getting ready in locker rooms, putting on my marching uniform with my friends. All of us doing the Incredibles “Honey, where’s my super suit” skit.” And for a 1996 alumnus, “Everyone would get together at IHOP after football games.”
And Life Long Relationships
Intertwined with recollections of specific events are those strong friendships and lifelong bonds that were formed during high school band times. Those date back to the foundation of the program in the 1990s, and continue today according to long-time alumni.
One of our 1996 alumni related this story, “In the early days we had a whole class period for lunch. As a freshman I walked in that first week and was overwhelmed. A senior band member saw me and told me to come on over. After being in band camp we all felt like family. I have always loved the bonds we made in band and wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
A 1997 alumnus added, “The most treasured memory is life-long friendships. We were also part of the beginning of the program and it is thrilling to see its reach now, when it was such a distant hope in 1991.”
For a 2016 alumnae, the best memory was “I met my boyfriend through Harrison Marching band and we are still together today 6 years post grad. He asked me to be his girlfriend on the field at a competition after the awards ceremony. Definitely my favorite band memory.”
But perhaps dominating the category of “I can top that,” a 2001 alumnus added, “I met my wife in Jazz Band.” (Grab a tissue, and move on to the next section!)
All The HHS Alumni Survey Results
And Those Memories
Sharing their favorite band memories, here’s what our alumni said, grouped by year of graduation, and by decade: (click link to jump directly to a decade.)
2011-2020
2020
ALIENS! We didn’t make finals with our Area 51 show, but it was the talk of the stadium among the bands and fans for its creativity.
Waking up early in the morning in the freezing cold weather to March the streets of New York City.
Waking up on the Saturday morning and going to band camp before BOA Orlando in 2018 during the show Electropolis.
I will never forget at BOA Orlando during finals there was fireworks going off in the background.
When I slow danced for the first time at band coming.
2018
The NYC trip/Macy’s Parade was the best! Also loved Grand Nats in 2015, it was such a cool experience.
2017
Having Kennesaw Mountain beat us in prelims and coming back to be beat them in finals twice in one year.
2016
When we took over the Hard Rock Cafe in Indianapolis and had a giant dance party.
Band camp was one of the most difficult things I have done but I look back five years later as my favorite memories. So many friends and relationships we’re made. Beautiful music was created in scorching heat but we did it together starting from just a large group of people to a well oiled machine.
I met my boyfriend through Harrison Marching band and we are still together today 6 years post grad. He asked me to be his girlfriend on the field at a competition after the awards ceremony. Definitely my favorite band memory.
We accidentally took over the Hard Rock Cafe in Indianapolis my senior year. The DJ was walking around asking if people had song requests. People were getting up to talk to their friends and we had a giant dance party in the restaurant, especially when YMCA came on. My bus in particular wanted to keep the energy going, so we sang the entire show in our own parts on the way back to the hotel. That trip and year along had so many memories that it was hard to pick just one.
2012
My favorite memories are Friday nights, before football games. Running around the school, getting ready in locker rooms, putting on my marching uniform with my friends. All of us doing the Incredibles “Honey! Where’s my super suit” skit.
Saxes and Low Reeds: What’s the word of the week? INTENSITY!
2011
Macy’s Day Parade
2001-2010
2010
It’s often fun to share with people that I marched in the Macy’s Day parade and I went to Ireland and marched in the St. Patrick’s Day parade there. More though, I made life long friends through band. People I still talk to 10 years later.
Marching off the field after our Grand Nationals semi-final performance in 2007. After we put absolutely everything we had into that performance. Screaming and cheering at how well we did. And knowing that not matter what the judges decided, we left absolutely everything out on the field. And of course the announcement a few hours later that showed the judges agreed!!!
Best experience of my life!
After semi-finals at Grand Nationals in 2007. I have never felt such a collective sense of awe and appreciation for each other in another group of people before or since. That was a holy moment.
2009
Our finals performance my senior year at BOA Atlanta in I guess it was 2008 (the show was look around). Also marching in the St. Patrick’s day parade in Dublin!
It’s so hard to pick, but I would have to say making finals at Grand Nationals in 2007. We really didn’t think it would happen and I get happy excited all over again when I think about it even now!
2008
A tie between traveling to Ireland to march on St Patrick’s Day and participating in HHS’ first Grand Nationals competition.
Dublin trip was incredible! Minus the 12 hours delay in London, but the Irish Breakfast, parade and sights we got to visit made the trip amazing! I was so thankful for have gotten that kind of an opportunity with our high school band.
MidWest Clinic 2007.
One of my favorite band memories comes from 2007, when the band competed in Grand Nationals for the first time. We were so excited to attend and also to create a legacy by paving the way for future classes to attend. During placement announcements, the band was all together and had to give up cellphones so no one could announce to us before the drum majors. We were THRILLED when we made it to semis, knowing how big of a deal that was for a first-time band. But even more amazing was when we found out we were going to finals! We all were both in shock and excitement, and all got to celebrate together. Those performances and all the memories in between are forever a treasure. I remember how proud our families and friends, who had also invested so many hours into the season, were of us. We smiled, happy-cried, and had the best time! Another favorite memory is varsity winter guard’s “Inviting the Muse” show from 2008. It was one of my favorite shows to perform!
Snowball fight in Grant Park in Chicago after the Midwest performance in 2007.
2007
The 2007 Ireland trip was the best trip!
I was able to be present at the band’s first Grand Nationals appearance in 2007. The semi-finals performance was brilliant and I was fortunate enough to be in the room when everyone found out that they made it to finals. To this day I haven’t witnessed that much pure joy. It is a moment and weekend I will never forget!
2006
Disney world parade; band camp lock in.
2005
BOA regional champion 2004 my senior year. Massillon Ohio. 1st BOA event won by HHS in school history. Felt we broke the ceiling for many more to follow. It was the cherry on top for the best marching season and memories I ever had.
2004
The first time Harrison made it to finals at a BOA competition was during my freshman year. It was so unexpected and everyone was so excited when we got to all go out on the field for the awards ceremony. It made the following day at Islands of Adventure even more special because it felt like we were actually celebrating something!
2002
The 2000 Millenium show was just so well done. Great drill writing, great arrangement, beautiful execution.
2001
Performance at the Sugar Bowl.
I met my wife in Jazz Band.
1993-2000
2000
Midwest Clinic 1999.
1999
Ringing in the new year together at sea world during the 98-99 trip to Orlando
1998
I remember traveling to odd places in Florida and Tennessee for winter guard competitions. Back then, we had a caravan of parents driving us, and if we stayed overnight, it was in an empty classroom of the school! (Crazy, huh?!)
1997
So many but the feeling after you gave your all at a performance to look around and see a whole team who did and felt the same.
Senior year Disney trip.
1996
IHOP after football games; Band trip to VA Beach, there’s so many!!
How it felt on our Gatlinburg trip senior year when we were “that band” everyone was talking about because we were dominating all categories.
Had a marching competition at Georgia Tech where two members tripped over each other and fell during a huge move where the tubas were moving backwards straight for them. They got up so fast that we earned points from the judges for recovery. In the skybox video you just see two plumes disappear and them immediately shoot back up.
In the early days we had a whole class period for lunch. As a freshman I walked in that first week and was overwhelmed. A senior band member saw me and told me to come on over. After being in band camp we all felt like family. I have always loved the bonds we made in band and wouldn’t trade it for anything.
1995
I found myself talking about drill downs with some old friends the other day. If you won those things, you got nothing but the mental victory. But man, everyone wanted that mental victory! I swear, if someone started clicking drumsticks right now, I could probably take you. That mindset has never changed — and I haven’t marched drill in 26 years!
The most treasured memory is life-long friendships. We were also part of the beginning of the program and it is thrilling to see its reach now, when it was such a distant hope in 1991.
1994
I’d have to say my favorite band memory (memories) are from Band Camp. As each section was being attended to the other sections were left standing in our marked spots on the field. The flutes/pics would get very creative and make up our own “band camp themed” songs to current on-the-radio songs. I can still sing one of them to the tune of “Can’t Touch This.” Creative minds and free time can lead to some really funny memories.
Attended Harrison, but Graduated Elsewhere
Macy’s Parade
Respondents
Alumni from all three decades of Harrison Bands history participated in the survey. Here’s the breakdown by decade:
Learn More About Band History and Memories
Want to learn more about the experiences and memories cited by our band members? Check out our Band Performance Timeline for images and more comments.
And be sure to visit our Harrison Bands Alumni Page.
