Show culminates marching

season for NUHS Eagles

Dance line, cheer

squads part of

production

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Music, dancing and cheer leading enthusiasts and anybody else for that matter are invited to the Marching Eagles Indoor Show at 7 o'clock tonight in the New Ulm Middle School Auditorium.

More than 115 students including the New Ulm High School Marching band and its two drum majors -- juniors Emily Pearson and Joel Runck are part of the show.

Varsity and junior varsity dance line and cheerleading squads will perform with the marching band and by themselves. Eighth-grader will dress up as "Wizard of Oz " and "Peanuts" characters and participate in a segment that presents music from the Oz movie and the comic strip.

The indoor show culminates a season of parade and field marching for the Marching Eagles. They performed in four parades, four home football games, three pep fests and the Riverblast Festival in New Ulm's Riverside Park last month.

"We're reviving an old tradition with the indoor show, which hasn't been done in many years." New Ulm High School Band Director Jennifer Wirz said. "We'll take all our energy and enthusiasm indoors to extend our season. We've been working on this since last summer. It's our way of culminating what the band has done this year with a big, final show. It's our way of letting the community know what we are doing."

This summer and fall, the NUHS Marching Band participated in the Minnesota State Fair parade. It finished second among Class AAAA schools competing in the Waseca Marching Classic that included bands from five different states.

Students are excited about the indoor show, which is divided into quarters.

"The kids have put a lot of hard work, time and effort into the show and are really looking forward to it," Wirz said.

She is assisted by community volunteer band instructors Ruth Schlumpberger and Pat Jutz.

"The volunteers have shared their expertise and really helped us out," Wirz said.

Music will include the New Ulm School Song, National Anthem, "America the Beautiful," and "The Final Countdown."

The first quarter features the "feel good" tunes of Paul Simon "You Can Call Me Al," and "The Hey Song" will feature baritone sax soloist John Besser and the flute section.

"Amazing Grace" will feature horn soloist Jenny Neveln followed by the "Winter Games" theme commissioned for the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Halftime music will include "Wizard Oz" music "If I Only Had a Brain," "We're Off to See the Wizard," "Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."

Third quarter music will feature the bass drum section in "Funkytown" and "We've Got the Beat."

Fourth quarter tunes include "Linus and Lucy," "The Horse" and the New Ulm School Song.

The New Ulm National Guard Unit will present state and national colors at the show. Photographs of the marching band and the awards it has won this year will be displayed.