In 2021, Kenai Central High School founded the Kenai Peninsula’s only active marching band. Since then, the group of about 30 students has gained recognition and competed at the state level.
“It’s pretty cool,” said Christian Stephanos, Director of Bands at Kenai Central High School.
“We kind of hype it up, especially with the students. We actually talked about it at the beginning of our rehearsal today that it's cool that we’re the only ones kind of doing this sort of thing.”
The last time the school had an active marching band was in the mid-1990s, although it had a drumline from 2007 to 2020. The group became an active marching band again when they added wind musicians to the mix in the fall of 2021.
“I believe that the importance is showing that Alaska can have fun musical things, too,” said sophomore percussionist and student band leader Joel Moss. “At times it can feel that Alaska is underrepresented in the field of marching bands or any band program in general. To show that if you bring a lot of people together with a common interest, you can create something that is underrepresented.”
Stephanos says that modern-day high school marching bands are not just how they were once portrayed in movies or on television. Much like dance or theatre, marching band is regarded as an art form. The group has performed and competed across the state, including at the Alaska Marching Invitational in Palmer earlier this month.
“Marching band as an activity has progressed so much in the past ten years that it’s a cool art form that people don’t really see anymore,” Stephanos said.
In the future, the marching band hopes to not only increase the number of students who participate but also take part in parades outside of Alaska. Students like Moss have their sights set on the Macy’s Day Parade in New York City.
“I’ve been a musician just about my whole life, since I was in kindergarten, and a lot of times I see that there’s really not a ton of opportunity to perform and for me to just express my love of music,” Moss said. “Having one more thing to do to show that I like music as something I’m passionate about, it really means a lot.”
You can see the Kenai Central High School marching band at concerts and football games. Their next performance will be at Kenai’s first playoff game on October 7.
