BY Hannah Badger
We were recently approached by Hannah Badger, a Holly Springs High School junior, asking to share what it’s like to be a part of the band program at Holly Springs High. Hannah has been part of the band program in Holly Springs since she was in elementary school as a saxophone player. For those with band kids, you know how much time and work goes into the practice that ultimately leads to their performances and competitions, but if you don’t have a musician at home, here’s an inside look at being a high school musician.
It is 6:34 a.m. Band camp begins in less than an hour. By October, most of our Holly Springs High School classmates have settled into a routine: classes, homework, football games, weekends for parties or for sleeping in. For members of the Golden Hawks Regiment, though, October is “Band-tober.” Three rehearsals a week. Playing the fight song under Friday night lights. Competitions that consume whole Saturdays. And somewhere in between, late-night essays and cramming for tomorrow’s AP test.
Last year, the Golden Hawks Regiment, comprising our marching band and colorguard, spent well over 150 hours preparing our show, “Humanity Lost,” for stadiums across the region — and as far away as South Carolina. Among these competitions, the Fuquay Varina Festival of Bands, was our tour de force. “Humanity Lost” was actually the story of humanity refound, as our musicians and guard members tore away the mechanistic anonymity of our gray, android-like costumes to reveal splashes of fuchsia and lavender, representing human passion. This metaphor in music and movement connected with the audience and the judges, and we paid off our preparation by completing our best run of the show, earning the Grand Championship and capturing first place honors in every subcategory.
Of course, the student members of the Golden Hawks Regiment did not reach those heights on their own. Michael Biasi, our band director, assembled a talented staff of musicians and colorguard coaches. Together with Mr. Biasi, these staff matched and surpassed the students’ sacrifices, rising before dawn and spending after-school hours deep into twilight to help us achieve that perfect round note, that flawless drop spin.
And the Regiment is just the tip of the spear when it comes to the Holly Springs High School band program. Mr. Biasi also leads three in-school band classes of different levels. Last year, Wind Ensemble, the highest-level group, was invited to Philadelphia to perform at the prestigious Music for All Concert Festival featuring bands from across the country.
The key to the success of the Golden Hawks Band is what happens well before students reach the Wind Ensemble level. Mr. Biasi nurtures talent through Concert Band, an opportunity for younger musicians to find their tone and sharpen their skills while still performing difficult programs for the public.
This philosophy is shared in the colorguard and winterguard programs, under the direction of Luke Oglesby, where an aspiring performer can essentially “grow up” within the Golden Hawks system. Colorguard combines dance with interpretive movement using flags, sabers, and mock rifles. Winterguard does the same, but as the name suggests, the season sends the performers indoors. Elementary school students can join the “Lil’ Hawks,” where they get their first opportunities to perform. In middle school, they advance to “Junior Hawks” and begin performing and competing locally. Once these budding performers have solidified their love for the “Sport of the Arts,” they can join Purple, the high school JV team, or Gold, the varsity team.
Both squads compete locally and up and down the East Coast — and in Gold’s case, at the World Championships. Just last year, the Gold Winterguard placed ninth in the Scholastic Open class at the Dayton World Championships, and in 2024, they placed third in the world in the Scholastic A class at the same competition. Gold indeed!
In the present though, it’s 6:34 a.m, and last year’s successes feel like the distant past. Commitment goes against everything my sleep-deprived sluggish body is yelling at me. Even so, a tiny voice deep inside whispers that the trophies displayed in our band room weren’t really won on the field, but by mornings forcing ourselves to get up before hitting snooze. I mash the stop button on my phone’s alarm and groan. I don’t want to go. But I go.
