 Media Credit: Alysia Baker Eric Sommer, a senior in aviation engineering, flashes his winning smile at the drum major tryouts yesterday.
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The Ohio State Marching Band selected its new drum major and assistant drum major yesterday at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Eric Sommer, a senior in aviation engineering, won the position of drum major for the 2004 marching band season. Alex Neffenger, sophomore in education, was given the position of assistant drum major.
"This is a great opportunity for me and it feels great to be a part of the band again," Sommer said. "I couldn't have been better today, I left myself out on the field."
Four candidates were at the tryouts - each have been members of the drum major squad or in marching band for at least one year. Daniel Nash, a sophomore in theater and Michelle Cundari, a sophomore in criminology were the other two in the competition.
Each competitor performed in three different categories to show off different skills necessary to be drum major. The first event was performing the traditional "ramp entrance," which involves the high strut from the north tunnel of the stadium at the beginning of OSU football games, the backbend and the goal-post toss. Next, each had to perform an individual twirling routine choreographed to a selected piece of music by the band. Finally, the candidates demonstrated his or her baton control and skill with five aerial tosses.
"Judges look for a good ramp entrance, physical strength, strong aerials and good control of the baton," said marching band director, Jon Woods. But what needs to stand out more than any of those things is a presence that will be able to be seen by the fans in fall, Woods said.
"Everyone's performances were much better then I anticipated they would be," said Matt Bally, drum major at OSU from 1999-2000 and one of 16 adjudicators at the event. "All these kids work very hard and it's a high pressure situation. You only get one shot to make it."
Weather conditions were good enough for the event to be held outside, but the one factor that affected the competitors a little was the wind.
"Weather is always a factor; you have to be very accurate and adjust to the situation if it gets windy," said Kathryn Mitchell, 2003 drum major.
Sommer was in the drum major squad in 2000 and served as the assistant drum major in 2001. After that he left the band and spent time practicing and trying to become drum major.
2008 Woodie Awards
