Bowen Boyack: Tell me about yourself and what inspired you to get this job as a Band Director at Eisenhower.
Marla Weber: I taught is Wichita for 9 years before coming out to Goddard Public Schools in 1991, Having a strong high school band program means you need a strong feeder program in the younger grades. I didn’t see this happening in Wichita, so I looked for another job. I started in Goddard when there was only one high school. I had 80 students when I began and before the high schools split I had 180, Eisenhower was a new school and was starting a program with only 7 seniors in band (the seniors could choose to graduate from Goddard, so the majority of them did). I knew I could help the program grow at EHS, so I decided to make the move.
BB: Tell me a little bit about the Band Program here at EHS.
MW: Eisenhower High School is 8 years old now. We have a competitive marching band and a non-competitive band for those students who have Saturday school obligations. We have one concert band of 100 students. We have on jazz band with 26 students and a theory class of 15 students.
BB: What inspired your musical selections this year for marching band?
MW: Music selection, whether it’s for marching, concert or jazz is the hardest decision I have to make. You consider your strengths in the band and your weaknesses and search to find music that will fit your enrollment for that group of musicians.
BB: What competitions did you go to this marching season and what ratings/scores did you get?
MW: We attended Okmulgee Bulldog Invitational this year and received 2nd place in pre-lims and first place in finals. We attended Park Hill Marching Contest and received 12th place in finals. We attended the KBA State Marching Festival and received 13th place and ended our season in Andover receiving a I+ in all categories.
BB: Tell me about the upcoming trips you will be taking within the next 3-4 years.
MW: We try to compete in 4 marching contests, 2 in Kansas and the others in Missouri and Oklahoma, We travel with the concert band to state large group contest and take a spring trip. Last year we went to New Orleans and this year to Chicago. The jazz band competes in 4 jazz festivals. We do take a “Big Trip” once every four years. We have been to California and Florida.
BB: What concert band repertoire are your bands playing this year? When are your upcoming performances?
MW: This year we have played O Magnum Mysterium, Host First Suite, Songs of Sailors and Sea, Copland Portrait, Cowboys, Cityscapes, Branding Iron and Of Quiet Courage. We will be performing at State Large Group Contest at Wichita East and Heritage Festivals in Chicago.
BB: Looking forward to 2019, any plans for your band that you would be willing to share?
MW: We have the music for our show as well as our drill writer. We are continuing with the competitive and non-competitive band concept and if enrollment keeps growing, we would like to split bands for next year during concert season. We are going with a strict one on a part jazz program for next year. In hopes that we can have 2 jazz bands in the future.
Thank You, Marla. Best of luck to you and the EHS Bands in the future.
Great Interview!