GENEVA — “And the band plays on!” The Geneva High School Instrumental Music Department will once again entertain us this spring at its annual “March Winds” Concert 7:30 p.m. March 4 in the high school auditorium.

This major concert has been in the works since the end of the GHS football season. During football season, Marching Geneva is the major ensemble; but at its conclusion, the Concert Band provides the performances for the rest of the school year.

The upcoming concert will showcase the repertoire of the Concert Band and the Jazz Band as well as the extensive rehearsals and commitment to excellence that it takes to perform such difficult pieces. The Concert Band will perform “A Carol Triptych,” “A Broadway Tribute,” “Palladio,” “Appalachian Legacy,” “Amparito Roca” and “Bugler’s Holiday,” which features a solo trumpet trio with band accompaniment. The selections to be performed by the Jazz Band have not yet been finalized.

Requirements to be in any of Geneva’s music groups vary. The Marching Geneva and Concert Bands require the ability to play an instrument and the desire to improve and prepare for quality performances. In order to be a member of the Jazz Band, membership in either the Concert or Marching Band and an audition are required. The Concert Band also requires a prepared audition and from that audition each member is placed into a “chair” based upon where he would best contribute to the overall sound of the ensemble. Lastly, the Pep Band requires membership in the Concert Band or, for Geneva students attending Ashtabula County Joint Vocational School, membership in Marching Geneva.

This year, Marching Geneva had 72 members, the Concert Band has 79 members, the Jazz Band has 19 members and the Pep Band has 34 members.

The most important part of being in band is not only to improve, but to enjoy playing.

“Music is a way to express yourself without words, where one can’t judge by what you say but how you say it through playing,” said senior trombone player Connor Pitkin.

Wonderful instrumental performances are the end result of the inner workings of a well developed Instrumental Music Department. There are five music classes offered at the high school: Concert Band; Marching Band, Jazz Band, Music Theory and Music History. In the Concert Band, Marching Band and Jazz Band, the students practice in preparation for concerts or competitions. Music Theory is a course that teaches the fundamentals of music including notes, rhythms, chords, scales, harmony and music analysis. Music history teaches the student more about the history of great composers and their works.

One of the most important parts of the Geneva Instrumental Music Department is Marion Carrel, who teaches all the music courses and advises all the music groups. Mr. Carrel has been at GHS for 27 years. He earned a bachelor of music degree from Bowling Green State University and master of music from Kent State University. He also has completed 26 credit hours toward a doctorate in music education at Kent State.

Mr. Carrel began his commitment to a career in music at a very early age.

“It seems like from day one, my fifth-grade band director announced to the world that I was going to be a band director,” he recalls. “He said that so often to me and others that it was difficult to consider doing anything else.”

Mr. Carrel’s instrument in grade school was the clarinet, but the saxophone is his current love and instrument of choice. When his sixth-grade private clarinet teacher left his hometown to become the saxophone instructor at Bowling Green, Mr. Carrel followed him to the university. After obtaining his master of music degree and having eight and a half years of experience (including taking a band to Ohio Music Education Association state marching band finals in 1982), he began his teaching career at GHS and has remained here ever since.

Mr. Carrel has some advice for students who may want to pursue a college or professional career in some sort of instrumental music.

“Decide early and prepare! My sixth-grade teacher once said: ‘The world has too many teachers, too many doctors, too many lawyers, etc., but there is always room for one more good one.’”

Evidence of the profound effect of our Instrumental Music Department on young adults under Mr. Carrel’s leadership was demonstrated at the 2009 Geneva Grape Jamboree. More than 100 marching band alumni came back to honor him by participating as a unit in the Jamboree parade on Sept. 27. Former band members came from classes spanning 27 years, and from as far away as California, for the chance to play once more with Mr. Carrel.

“I had a lot of fun playing again in the band,” said Jamie Mehall-Burgett from the GHS class of ’02. “This event brought back all of the great memories I had with the marching band during high school, and for that I am truly thankful.”

This is Mr. Carrel’s last year at GHS and he says that he has been most proud of one thing: the Geneva community.

“Consistency!” he exclaims. “I have been blessed with 27 years of outstanding young adults that trusted me. As a result, we have been able to provide our community with 27 years of outstanding instrumental groups that have performed exceptionally well. To the alumni and the present members of the Geneva Instrumental Music Department I say: Well done!”