Their pounding drums resonate throughout the town during Tuesday and Thursday evenings, their renditions of classic tunes pump up spectators during football games, and now they’re off to compete with a show unlike anything they’ve done before. Verona High School’s own Marching Maroon and White, renowned for performing orchestral music in a marching band context, will be putting “Clockworks,” a show based John Adams’s minimalist masterpiece “Short Ride in a Fast Machine,” on the field during their 2014-2015 competitive season.

According to the official website of John Adams himself, minimalism is “a twentieth-century Western Art music style which explores the limits of Western sound,” often incorporating musical structures based on heavily repeated rhythmic motifs. Prominent composers under the minimalist label include Phillip Glass, Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and of course Adams. This style of music has been influential on music in general since its inception in the 1950s, especially within the repeating dance forms and gradual harmonic shifts of techno music.

Director Erik Lynch stated that with “Clockworks,” he wished to maintain the Verona tradition of putting orchestral music on the field while exploring something different. Lynch believed that minimalism’s focus on layers and growth as opposed to conventional compositional elements would translate well into marching band, especially given its heavy rhythmic aspect. After holding a meeting and listening to several pieces, the staff decided that the imagery of clocks would fit the style of music well, and thus drill-writer Ken Sadowsky designed the show to emulate clock-like motion. The imagery is further accentuated with props including wooden Roman numerals and spinning gears operated by members of the color guard.

The Marching Maroon and White have been hard at work since the summer in order to master the complex rhythms and intricate drill of “Clockworks” with the guidance of Lynch, Sadowsky, assistant band director Jonathan Sarafine, marching instructor Jesse Burbank, color guard instructor Karen Saloman, woodwind instructor Ryan Wiemken and drum line instructor Dan Granda.  Credit also belongs to marching instructor Chris Johnson, Color Guard caption heads Beth and Bernard Kierez, percussion designer and instructor Ken Riehman, and pit instructor Zac Robason.

Additionally, the organization is driven by the behind-the-scenes work of the pit crew and the Verona Music Parents Association. Pit section leader Ella Yarmo-Gray claims that while the music is “ridiculously hard to play,” her section greatly enjoys playing it and “everyone is having a good time with it,” adding that she is impressed by the work that has been done by the organization to make it all possible.

“Although it is still very early in the season,” says Cadets alumnus and fourth year band parent Robin Karpinski, “I can tell that this year’s marching band show is well on it’s way to becoming another in a very long line of great shows… I am just as proud of today’s marching band program as I was back during my time at VHS, if not more!” Color guard member Rebecca Karpinski also stated that the potential of “Clockworks” shines when everyone in the band dedicates themselves.

Percussion section leader Skyler Fortgang says that the show is “extremely challenging” and “definitely the hardest show we’ve ever had”. Lynch acknowledges it to be a “risky show with a lot of rewards,” further describing it as “high velocity, high intensity, high demand, high payoff.”