Via Community News Service, in partnership with Vermont State University Castleton.
For nearly 50 years, the Mill River Union High School marching band has carried a legacy of excellence. As the spring 2025 season kicks off, Instrumental Music Director Peter Roach and his students are working to carry that tradition forward.
In his 10th year of teaching at Mill River, Roach reflected on how the music program has evolved during his time.
“I was fortunate to come into a program that was solidified when I got here,” he said. “A lot of the work has been trying to maintain our tradition of excellence.”
As the spring season begins, the band is already preparing for upcoming performances. The participation of students, grades seven through twelve, has contributed to the band’s growth and development. Roach nodded to this year’s set list as an example.
“This year’s seventh-grade group is quite talented, so ‘Marches of the Armed Forces’ is accessible for them,” he said. “We have done a lot with our second piece, ‘American Pride,’ which is much harder.”
Powerful performances haven’t come without hard work behind the scenes.
“There are ups and downs all year, but I think the kids understand the pressure of performing in front of thousands of people — it really helps in preparing them,” Roach said.
Senior drum major Lucas Jensen said the enthusiasm this year is hard to miss.
“Rehearsals have been great compared to other seasons,” he said. “The energy is high and everyone is excited. You have to keep it up, especially when you’re shouting, ‘M-R-U.’”
However, preparation for marching season hasn’t come without its share of challenges. The band sat out this year’s Loyalty Day Parade, one of the band’s showcase performances, due to inclement weather.
“We used to perform in May, but it was really interesting given how much time was split between concert and marching season — so by eliminating some of that concert band repertoire from our spring concert, we’ve really been able to focus on marching as a unit and our graduation rehearsals,” Roach said.
Faculty guidance plays a big role in helping students meet the expectations that come with performing.
“We will remind you when you’re not meeting the expectation, behaviorally or musically, in a caring, constructive way. But when you meet those expectations, we give you the credit that you deserve for that time and energy,” Roach said.
“I keep the same high standard for the jazz lab groups and the concert bands,” he added. “I think the kids understand what the expectation is, and that excellence is provided by those expectations.”
Roach explained the skills that he teaches beyond music, emphasizing social and communicative. He also said including the younger students in this process has been beneficial.
“We talk about how important communication is, not just in our program, but in life,” Roach said. “We march seventh to 12th grade, which is different than some of the other schools, so we try to handle that with the seventh grade because they’re still very young in their experience.”
Jensen described a typical rehearsal day, which includes cue practice and marching drills. He emphasized what he has taken away from the experience.
“I have really learned about my role as a leader, and that I have good leadership skills,” he said.
Distinguishing these skills has only brought the group closer together.
“The camaraderie, sense of family, and character that we build is vital to what we do and try to teach these folks,” Roach said.
Balancing commitments is a key part of the band’s organizational training. This is something that Roach and his students handle carefully.
“At Mill River, we fight for respect for our students,” said Roach. “We really try to work hard on that balance between our arts, our academics and our athletics, and I think the kids see that.”
Roach also discussed the community and the impact that the events have on students.
“We are doing this to help the kids understand the value of what these events are, why we do them, and what Memorial and Loyalty Day are,” Roach said. “This isn’t like taking a test in any subject, where you get the red pen marks of right and wrong. This community offers the real-life, authentic feedback — they are our graders.”
Other faculty members have expressed a similar commitment to supporting students on this journey.
“I was in marching band in high school and in college, and so I understand the importance that it has, not just on students, but also on the community,” said Andrew Loose, music educator at Mill River.
The students have also enjoyed the community’s response to their efforts.
“I’ve been a member for four years. It makes me feel honored that people appreciate what we do,” Jensen said.
As Mill River marches towards their final performances this season, Roach keeps his message simple.
“There’s enough in this world that’s bad, and even mediocre — so let’s work hard to be part of something good,” he said.
The Mill River Union High School marching band will perform in the Middletown Springs Memorial Day Parade on May 25 at 3 p.m., and again in the Wallingford Memorial Day Parade on May 26 at 10 a.m.