Hartland marching band alums played U-M's way to victory

HARTLAND — Five alums of Hartland High School and the Hartland Marching Band were able to experience the U-M football team’s recent run to a national championship.

Tony Chyo (2023), Sarah Horst (2021), Ethan Markby (2020) Audrey Schuster (2020), and Makenna Usher (2023) are members of the Michigan Marching Band. They performed at all the school's football games this year, including the Rose Bowl outside of Los Angeles on New Year’s Day and the title game in Houston on Monday, Jan. 8.

Horst called it "a once in a lifetime experience."

“It’s great because while we rehearse a lot on the road, we get time to experience the cities we visit,” she said. “Houston was phenomenal. We had some extra time to spend around the city between (practices), and then the game was amazing.”

Horst and Usher were both drum majors at Hartland while Chyo, Markby and Schuster were trumpet section leaders. Markby also performs with the U-M Fanfare Band, a smaller section that performs at special events throughout the year.

It should come as no surprise that five Hartland alums found musical success at U-M. Hartland Director of Bands Brad Laibly estimates more than 10 percent of Hartland's recent marching band grads have gone on to participate at the college level, from Central Michigan University to Northwestern University to Baylor University in Texas.

One of the appealing features of participating in a college marching band is the potential for partial scholarships. Those opportunities vary by university, but even universities that only offer academic scholarships often look for ways to help band members financially. If nothing else, participation offers unique opportunities for travel.

“It varies quite a bit from school to school, but (band members) do get financial support or other benefits, plus sometimes travel to unique places,” Laibly said. He experienced that firsthand as a member of the University of Illinois Marching Band while he was an undergrad.

At U-M, the marching band practices three hours a day four days a week, and has day-long commitments both the day-of and the night before a game, Horst said. She adds that, while the rehearsals are more rigorous at the university level, Hartland provided a great foundation.

“It’s amazing to see how much the preparation ... gave us a running start," she said. "We were already training for college football game (atmosphere)."

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The alums didn’t have to learn a new fight song, since Hartland’s is the same as Michigan’s.

“It’s even the same arrangement,” Horst said.

Graduating seniors interested in joining a university marching band usually try out after acceptance into the school, often not until the summer after they leave high school.

“We want to prepare any (band member) who wants to audition for college,” Laibly said. “It’s a lot of work, but it's a great experience.”

— M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@livingstondaily.com.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Hartland marching band alums played U-M's way to victory