Katie Gonzales honored by Marching Classic

The Waseca Marching Classic has named State Farm Insurance Agent Katie Gonzales as this year’s “Friend of the Classic.”

 

Now in its 39th year, Waseca’s annual band extravaganza is set for Sept. 19, with a parade through downtown Waseca beginning at noon and a field show at the Waseca High School football field beginning at 5:30.

 

Along with 75 to 100 units, the parade will include six bands performing and being judged on their form and technique. Judges along the route will be scoring on numerous elements and selecting winners—not only for overall impression, but also for individual facets including the color guard, drum majors, horn line and percussion section. The Jays will perform in both the parade and field competition, but are not included in the judging because they are the hosts of the event.

 

The 5:30 field show is scheduled to feature 9 bands with elaborate field performances that will include vehicle-sized props and elegant synchronized movement among the musicians. Admission is $10, with discount-priced bracelets available for sale beforehand.

 

As a 2012 Bluejay graduate, Gonzales is intimately acquainted with the Classic. She describes having joined the instrumental music program already in elementary school, then going on to play a number of different instruments over time, including the trumpet, French horn, and –for marching band—the mellophone. She became a drum major in her senior year.

 

“I’m proud to be a Friend of the Classic,” she told the Pioneer. “Marching band was an important part of my high school experience. I know firsthand the hard work and dedication that it takes to be a Marching Jay. Now, as a local business owner, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to give back and help support the Waseca Marching Classic so today’s students can have those same meaningful experiences. It’s wonderful to support an event that brings students, families, and our community together.”

 

Gonzales goes on to say she remembers “Beat Waseca” was something of a motto during her participation, meaning band members were persistently challenging themselves to do even better than their previous best. She describes that it felt particularly rewarding to perform on home turf, where families, community members, teachers and friends could see the precision and dedication which made them so formidable in competitions elsewhere.

 

Being part of band, and competing as a band, is special, she says, because it “provides the opportunity to understand hard work and dedication all while working with a group to achieve a greater goal.”

 

She also mentions that, as much as she appreciated the contributions of school staff members, volunteers, parents and community representatives when she was in high school, her appreciation has become much richer since. So has her gratitude. “Looking back, I realize how much being part of the band taught me beyond just music and marching. It taught me discipline, teamwork, commitment, and how to be part of something bigger than myself,” she says.

 

From her perspective now, as a business owner in the community, she says she also appreciates how the Classic draws many visitors to town, showing them some of what our area has to offer and perhaps serving as an invitation to return.