Sanford High School's marching band is positioned for another standout season. The program, which has nearly 60 members, continues to set the standard in Maine's marching band community.
Their competition season includes five events leading up to state finals. They open their season at Biddeford High School on September 13, followed by their out-of-state challenge at UMass Amherst on September 27. The schedule continues with competitions at South Portland (October 4) and Wells High School (October 18) before culminating with the Maine Marching Band Finals at Sanford High School on October 25.
Beyond state competitions, they continue to challenge themselves with their return trip to UMass Amherst. This year's competition will offer an added benefit for the percussion section, with specialized instruction from renowned educators Tom Hannum and Ian Hale. There's added enthusiasm for returning students about going back to a place where they found success. "We have one in Amherst at UMass, and we got first there last year, so we're really excited," said senior Lily Gillis.
Once again, Sanford has earned the honor of hosting the Maine Marching Band Finals, marking the fourth consecutive year they've welcomed schools to their home turf. "We've tended to host it just because of our experience with it, and we have a large facility," SHS Music Director Hailey Francoeur explained. "The parking is a plus, we have the turf field, and our bleachers are large enough to withstand the crowd."
Gillis, who helps lead the brass section, said hosting finals creates a special atmosphere. "It's like our home game," she said enthusiastically. "We're on our field and we're like, 'Yeah, this is it, this is awesome’.”
This year, the band welcomed just over 10 newcomers who have impressed with their quick adaptation to the program. Rather than relying on traditional section leaders, Francoeur has implemented a collaborative approach where veteran members and upperclassmen naturally step up to mentor newer students and help run sectionals.
"Everybody kind of has their own stake in what we're doing," Francoeur said. "It's not just like one person leading the brass and one person leading woodwinds, everybody kind of is working together to make those things happen."
Gillis embodies this supportive culture, offering simple but effective advice to younger members: "Be positive,” she said. “Just bring the energy and the positivity, because it's so much fun."
One of the program's most significant innovations has been the adoption of the Universal Drill Book app. This technology has revolutionized how students learn their field positions and movements, replacing the paper charts of the past.
"Every picture that you see of them on the field has their own coordinates," Francoeur explained. With nearly 50-60 different sets in their current show, students can now visualize their movements and see how their positions relate to the ensemble. "They can visually see it. It used to be just like a piece of paper that just said, 'Set one. You're two steps inside the 45 on side one,' and that was it."
Gillis, who experienced both the old and new systems, said the improvement is dramatic. "My first year, we had paper for our spots on the field. This app is amazing."
As the season progresses, audiences can expect to see the show continue evolving. With most of the music and drill already in place from a successful band camp, the ensemble is positioned to refine their performance and add finishing touches as they work toward another strong showing at state finals on their home field.