The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
High schools’ creativity unleashed in band tradition
Audience response is a compliment to the Lorain High School Titan Marching Band.
So fans who sing, dance or cheer are well within the Titan style as the band blends traditions from three former high schools with popular tunes, said Director Tim Sivik, starting his 22nd year at the helm and 31st year of teaching.
With him as assistants are Dave Hager, Ted Terhune, and Chris Whoten.
Similar to a pregame Admiral King High School tradition of marching in a parade from the school to George Daniel Field, all three former high schools are honored by the Marching Titans led by senior drum majors Jonathan Merchant and Ja’Mya Greenhill.
“For halftime our entrance cadence is like Lorain High used to use, and of course, we use the Lorain High Fight Song,” Sivik said. “It’s to the tune of ‘Our Director’ march by F.E. Bigelow.”
After the halftime show, the band honors a tradition from the former Southview High School with a backwards march down the sidelines.
The band thrives with interaction with the fans, such as singing along to the popular songs, and grooving with the music, Sivik said.
That lesson was made poignant in June when Lorain served as an honored stateside city in a National Puerto Rican Day Parade down Fifth
“I can’t tell you how touched I was by the generosity of the community . ... That’s the most touching thing about this, because of the way the community supported the kids. It was just awesome.”
— Tim Sivik, band director
Avenue in New York City, and the band strutted the Titan blue and silver.
“We performed in front of 1 million New Yorkers,” Sivik said, “The streets were lined with Puerto Rican flags. As the band passed by, the people were singing along and dancing. The float carrying
people from Lorain was in front of us. They were dancing on the float. We did the backwards march like we do, and people cheered for that. It was like they knew what we were doing. They understood us.”
The trip cost $30,000, he said.
“I wanted to really thank the community for their support,” Sivik said. “I can’t tell you how touched I was by the generosity of the about
community. We had generous private donations and businesses stepped up to help. It really lifted up the kids and helped us to go. That’s the most touching thing about this, because of the way the community supported the kids. It was just awesome.”
In November the Marching Titans are expected to be in position by 8:30 a.m. for America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Detroit.
Sivik estimates the teens will leave the school at 4:30 a.m. and will return in time for Thanksgiving Day dinner.
“We’ll wear our full band uniforms,” Sivik said. “They estimate a million people will see that parade. It will be broadcast to 65 million households.”
And of course they plan a showing in the 45th annual Woollybear Parade at 1:30 p.m., Sept. 24, in Vermilion, he said.
So the community can enjoy their band in many settings, he said.
Another fun activity offered by the band boosters is a tailgate party fundraiser, 4:30-6 p.m., just inside the
fieldhouse gate before every home football game, Sivik said.
Tickets cost $6, and include the meal and soft drink and free admission into the game before 6 p.m. Other snacks are offered as well.
“They’re pretty excited about it,” Sivik said. “We have a bunch of energetic boosters that I’m also very grateful for.”
He recommends following the Lorain High School Band and Orchestra Boosters on Facebook.com.
As fans file out of George Daniel Field after a football game, the Lorain High School Titan Marching Band tends to do one more tradition linking them to musical alumni. They parade down the street to drum cadences and the fight song.
But after the band gallops behind the school and as the 135 members enter their band abode, the tradition takes on the energy of a half-time performance unleashed from the crowd and the stadium lights.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Sivik said. “They have this whole routine they do.”