Spartan band high steps through pandemic at a distance

LANSING» Samantha Barringer was in eighth grade when she first dreamed of leading the Spartan marching Band up and down the field in front of thousands of fans.

That dream was supposed to come true this fall. Barringer, a sophomore who high-stepped with the Big Ten Flags Corps during pregame shows last season, was selected to be the band’s second drum major. But she won’t be joining her co-drum major and mentor Lisa Lachowski on the field this football season thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. None of the 300 marching band members will don uniforms and pick up instruments to play fight songs and halftime shows.

COVID-19 has forced the band online.

“It’s definitely confusing and a little hard,” Barringer told the Lansing State Journal. “I want to do everything in my power to help the band, but there’s really nothing I can do virtually besides talk to people.”

The band marches on with virtual seminars on the band’s history and leadership, one- on- one music lessons between band leaders and members and some in-person or small group lessons while practicing social distancing.

Some of Barringer’s training must be done in person, said Lachowski, a fifth-year senior. They started finding outdoor places to practice as soon as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifted a COVID-19 stay-athome order in June.

The two drummajors live fairly close together — Lachowski in Rochester Hills and Barringer inwixom— so they met at the Lawrence Technological University football stadium in Southfield or any empty football field they could find. People walking by would find the pair practicing the running and marching pregame routine or the march into the stadium. They’ll be practicing the parade route to the stadium soon.

“She’s not going to have me there for any of that,” Lachowski said. “So I have tomake sure she knows the series and when to blow the whistle. Making sure she knows the role.”

All of the student leaders face the same challenge: assuring that younger band members know the music, the steps, the routines and the traditions.

“They’re having to be very professional and think about the band long after they’re gone,” said Spartan Marching Band Director David Thornton. “As a squad leader, section leader or officer, you’re preparing someone to take your place.

“We just had our 150th anniversary (last year) and now we need to prepare for 150 more.”

About 100 new marching band members are learning their roles from section or band leaders mostly online.