This year, the Fenton High band has done something few bands have done before: gone to finals at Ford Field. The band didn’t end up winning, but they took away lots of memories when they visited the stadium on Nov. 1.
Led by conductor Patrick Conaton, the Marching Tigers were able to achieve a lot this season, thanks to experienced players throughout the band and a talented and well-connected group.
“It’s been a long building process, from doing one competition, to doing two competitions, to this higher level competition. We got there by being placed 10th at prelims; they take the top 10 bands to move on,” Conaton said. “Playing at DeWitt, in my opinion, it wasn’t our best performance. So we made it really exciting. Being there was amazing. The overall design of the show was very fun. These different magic tricks happening every song, so that was really cool. The kids did a really good job selling their performance.”
Conaton also explained how he takes a different approach to the band, making sure everyone has a voice in what music is being played. This approach has made the band feel like more of a family and lets everyone have a voice in what music they want to perform.
“At the beginning of marching season, I’ll pick three different shows, and I have them vote on it,” Conaton said. “We’re building this positive culture.”
Senior Joe Wright, one of the leading drummers in the band, contributed to the leadership and integrity of the team and helped push the Marching Tigers towards stronger performances and higher goals.
“For the past four years, we’ve been ramping up our competitiveness,” Wright said. “Starting with Scholastic, and then this year getting into the Michigan Competing Band Association (MCBA).”
Being at Ford Field was an experience that Wright got to share.
“It was cool to be able to play in that stadium, and then we got to stay on and listen to the rest of the flight. It’s just cool to see all those really good bands.”
The band’s progress didn’t just come from working on their music at school; it also came from increased commitment to practice at home and outside rehearsal.
“It was a lot of work. This year, we changed our rehearsal schedule so we had more time together,” Wright said. “That was a big change, but we needed it. So, rehearsing all the time, lots of individual work, a lot of people stepped it up this year as far as what they’re doing at home.”
The group’s culture also played a big role in their success.
“Culture is a really big thing,” Wright said. “Our team bonding, our sectionals, getting to go to Comerica Park and watch baseball games. That kind of stuff is really important because if you’re not friends, it’s difficult to play well.”
While seniors like Wright helped push the band to new competitive levels, the experience was just as meaningful for newcomers. Everyone had a role in the band, including freshman Ameila Fravel in her first year marching.
“It was so fun just to be on Ford Field. I took one piece of turf to keep as a memory. It was a really awesome experience,” Fravel said. “I really enjoyed seeing the other bands perform, just to get ideas, and also because it was really fun to watch. Being in pit, I don’t get to watch the choreo for our band. So it was really awesome to see other people.”
The Fenton Marching Tigers might not have won States, but they definitely set high expectations for what they want to achieve in the future.
