The Edmond Memorial High School marching band finds a new rhythmic force leading the way to excellence; Addi Tanksley, a fresh and dynamic sophomore drum major with a passion for music and with unwavering dedication, steps into a fulfilling, yet challenging role.
The band has undergone many transformations since the last school year. With the welcome of a new head band director, Tanner Morgan, the culture and learning environment of the foundation has shifted drastically. This had an effect on the drum majors of the marching band.
Although Tanksley is new to the responsibilities of high school band as a sophomore, she took a daunting leap of faith and dove right into the depths of what it means to be a part of something bigger than herself.
“I wanted something different because I feel like I wasn’t as attached to marching as others in the band were, making [drum major] a good role for me,” Tanksley said.
It can be tricky when making the decision to become a drum major because it can affect the band’s success tremendously over multiple marching seasons. It is key for the band staff to not only have a goal for the current band season but also the future ones.
“It’s not so much that there aren’t necessarily other seniors or other upperclassmen who could do the job, but is there a skill set difference between an under and upperclassmen?” Assistant Band Director, Kevin McDonald said.
“Often, it’s making those choices based purely on the individual who is also thinking about the long term needs of the program.”
Even though challenges arise, Tanksley has shown that she is resilient by overcoming those challenges and pushing through until the last measure. The hard work she puts in pays off, as it is worth the satisfaction of being a drum major.
“I practiced, and still practice, a lot,” Tanksley said. “There would never be a night where I wouldn’t do something beneficial to the drum major role”
Through all of the dedication and persistence, Tanksley still experiences feelings of stagnation and she struggles with her leadership role because of her underclassmen status.
“There are some people that don’t have full respect for me, compared to an upperclassman, because I’m younger and usually the leadership roles are filled by juniors or seniors,” Tanksley said.
While Tanksley may struggle because of her age, many do respect her and have faith in her leadership. Someone who fully believes in her success is Simon Hollarah, an accompanying drum major. Hollarah has been a drum major since his junior year and is impressed by Tanksley’s commitment and dedication to the band program.
“Tanksley was really mature and up to the task from the first day of her freshman year,” Hollarah said. “She demonstrated leadership as an underclassman from day one.”
Being a drum major is a tough job and not for everyone, but Tanksley makes it look easy with her leaderful personality. As the years continue on, she will continue to improve and be ready to teach future drum majors for years to come.
Contact Anna Vitiello at [email protected]
