¶ Marching Illini Return to Home Turf
What will it be like for you guys kind of coming back , like I said , being on your home turf ?
Well , it's just exciting to be able to see and perform for people like in my community . People I know , people I love .
I'm excited to to like , just like , connect these two like parts of my life .
Where do you find a family of communities connected by the storied Mississippi River , where young explorers and dreamers , investors and entrepreneurs thrive ? Where can you connect with real people living and creating in a place that's as genuine as it is quirky QC ? That's where .
Welcome to QC . That's where I'm Katrina , your host , and today I've got Jack Snyder and Anna Poole , two members of the marching band at University of Illinois . How are you guys doing today ?
Good .
Thank you guys for joining me . So if you're listening in real time , we're a couple days away from the Labor Day parade in Rock Island . It's the 40th year big milestone year for our community having this parade and you guys are kind of coming back to your home turf , both from Geneseo . So , Jack , I'll throw it to you first .
What is your instrument and like what sent you to be part of the Illini Marching Band ?
I play the . I play the sousaphone in the band , which is basically a marching tuba , and what wanted me to join the band is my freshman year of high school .
I really enjoyed marching and I just wanted to continue to do that for as long as I could . Anna same question .
Instrument . What drew you to Illini Band ? I've had a pretty long history as far as my family in the Marching Illini . I play the trumpet . A few of my older cousins who also grew up in Geneseo were there in the band , and then my older sister , who's only two years older than me , also played in the band .
So I was like , okay , this is something I really want to do . So it's just something I've really wanted to do since I was really in middle school , before I even like started like high school marching band and then I really enjoyed high school marching band . So I was like , okay , yeah , this is for me .
Did either of you dabble in any other instruments , like along the way I ?
started playing the piano in first grade and then ended up stopped playing piano once I started playing the tuba .
That's cool . Yeah , that's kind of where I started , but that's also where I stopped . So kudos to you guys for like making this kind of like a , you know , college career path endeavor so super exciting . It's exciting for us that such a big marching band , like staple piece of the state , is coming to be part of it .
So I was wondering , can you guys kind of talk to any preps , any you know ? What does it take to you know , to take Marching Illini to you know a different location ? So , anna , if you want to start , if there's any insight on , just kind of give us the background .
So I think we'll be traveling by bus and we usually take , so the band is like 400 , 400 , some people large , um , so we , I think , take at least four or maybe like four to six .
I honestly don't really remember how many charter buses we take , um , but that'll probably be our mode of travel this weekend or on Monday , and we haven't gotten our itinerary yet , but our professor , professor Hauser , always sends out our itineraries for any traveling that we'll be doing .
Yeah , and it's part of something like normal that we do for game days , like doing like a parade , so we call it March Out , where we just march from the armory on campus to Memorial Stadium . So , yeah , I really enjoy parades , so I think it'll be . I think it'll be fun .
¶ Musical Journey Through the Quad Cities
Jack , can you kind of speak to like the differences between , you know , being in a high school marching band versus what you guys experience at the college level ?
It's definitely more work . Well , I guess , depending on the program , it's a lot more work , but it's really cool just being able to play with the bands four times bigger than what I played in high school . So just hearing all that huge wall of sound that we can create , that's really cool .
And then also being able to play for a audience that is what like 60 times bigger than what I could even imagine in high school it's just an amazing experience to have .
When you guys do parades , what kind of you know reception do you feel ? Like you know , is the excitement up ? Is it different from , like you know , game days ? What's kind of the vibe at parades ?
because , like we're marching , like really close to a lot of people like that walk along with the bands . Like when my family comes to visit , like they'll find me like in the parade block and they'll walk along with me . So it's really really great energy .
We have a lot of like vocals and like movements that we do besides like playing during the parade , so it's just a fun time to connect with like the people in the ensemble , but then also like the people who are walking along with the band .
It's just a fun time to connect with like the people in the ensemble , but then also like the people who are walking along with the band . It's just really great fun energy .
What will it be like for you guys kind of coming back , like I said , being on your home turf ?
It's just exciting to be able to see and perform for people like in my community . People I know , people I love .
I think it'll definitely feel a little bit , a little bit weird , um , but I'm excited to to like , just like connect these two like parts of my life , um , and just like show something to my uh home area , like , uh , what I've been doing in college so yeah well , we're so excited to have you guys .
I I know that , like I said , this is such a big deal for this particular event having you all , and we're excited to welcome you guys , especially the natives . Quad City natives and I was driving down 18th Avenue recently in Rock Island and I saw there's a big banner already in the middle of the street promoting the parade coming .
So it's going to be a big deal and I think everybody that comes and watches is going to be really excited . Super cool element to add this year .
So , parade aside , all of that kind of aside , can you guys highlight I'll start with you , jack what's been kind of like a highlight favorite moment you know , in your two years so far being part of Marching Illini ?
Honestly , my favorite moment was last year .
Like every year we do a performance where we go to a more local community that's not in Champaign to perform , and last year we went to Washington High School down in Peoria area and it was just really cool to be able to see a literal packed house of their stadium full of people that are just there to hear the band .
And that's probably one of my favorite parts is being able to play for the communities and everyone's there just to see you .
Anna , this is your senior year , so you're going into your final year with Marching Illini . What has been a favorite moment for you so far ? Because you've got a whole . You know you got extra , extra time , but what ? What has been like a pluck out moment .
Um , it's honestly really hard to decide Cause , like you said , like there's so many moments that I could highlight . Um , something that I would really like never forget and never forget the feeling was the first time we actually um like did our pregame show , like uh , for an audience , like at the first game my freshman year .
Um , like , the energy in the stadium is just electric . Like when we do um our run on and then uh do our um 15 minute pregame show , it's just um as like challenging as it is like physically , you know , to like hold the horn up and stuff like that .
Um it it's just such a fun thing performing for that many people with like all the lights , all the sounds . Uh , it's just really , really exciting . It's an exciting thing . So yeah , Okay .
So imagine the freshmen at Geneseo high school who's just starting , you know , kind of coming up in band . What's your advice to them ? You know , if they want to make this kind of a long term commitment , what would you say to that person ?
I would tell them to go for it and get involved in the marching band in any way that they possibly can . I know I tried to be a section leader as soon as I could when I was in high school .
That was a really , really great experience , like being in a leadership position , and it just made me love the activity even more because I could see like how much of an impact I could have like on the band and also make a lot of friends . I know all my closest friends in high school .
I made um through marching bands and that's also true here , especially with our pre-season camp that we do , which , as an incoming freshman , like you can't really do all the normal freshman activities .
So then you kind of just like intermingle with all the band people and then you make your friends through bands and having rehearsal an hour and a half every day , like you see them every day . So it's just um a really , really awesome place to make friends .
So so , yeah , get involved um , go for leadership positions if you can and make friends jack , how about you I ?
would say just make sure you keep having fun in the activity . If you enjoy doing it , you'll . You'll just want to keep doing it as long as you can .
I , uh , I was in band um a couple of years in middle school and I just could never like find my instrument , you know , and so I ended up kind of not continuing with it .
But I just always thought like like such kudos to um my classmates that were in band and in marching band , because I know the time commitment that it took , but also like just that raw talent that comes out and like grows , you know , as the years go on and and you guys were literally like the heartbeat of every event that we had , you know , every pep rally
, every , every game , every sporting event . So just like huge props to you guys for making this part of your you know school years and continuing on with it , cause I know what a huge , like I said , time commitment and just how much you put your own heart and soul into this , so way to go , and thank you for doing it .
So at Visit Quad Cities we like to say that the Quad Cities is the creative capital of the Midwest and I would love your perspective on this statement . We can back that up with a lot of kind of the arts and culture scene . There's , you know , growing events like Alternating Currents around here .
We've got the Figge Art Museum , circa 21 , and then other like Playhouse Theaters and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra . So I mean , just from your perspective , would you agree that that statement , you know , quad City's creative capital of the Midwest kind of rings true , jack , would you agree that that statement Quad Cities Creative Capital of the Midwest ?
no-transcript . Yeah , I would say so . I mean looking at some of the marching bands that we see whenever we competed as high schoolers , just seeing how talented everyone was was really cool and like hearing the history of music in the Quad Cities .
Like I know , jazz like kind of like started forming the Quad Cities as well as it being one of the huge Mississippi towns . Just knowing that history of music that we've had in this community really just speaks to how , how great the fine arts are in the Quad Cities .
Yeah , I really agree with everything Jack said . I remember , like when I was younger , like in elementary school , we'd always take trips to the Fig Art Museum .
That was always one of my favorite things that I did when I was younger , and I've also gone to Circa 21 with my parents multiple times and it's just a really great experience to do , like over holiday or like whenever I'm visiting . And yeah , like what Jack said , I always really enjoy the marching band competitions .
When I was in high school , it's probably one of my favorite things like weekend activities that I looked forward to in high school . Um , yeah , I I definitely agree with that statement for sure yeah , and there's .
It seems like , you know , there's so many kind of arts and culture experiences that are like kind of um legacy and then also new ones popping up all the time like , um , I don't know if you guys have ever been to the Genesis Guild in in Rock Island , but they play .
They're like a you Shakespearean not playhouse because they're outside , but they are , you know , a group of theatrical actors and they kind of put on shows . I believe they're free but yeah , just throughout the summer months in Rock Island and that's a super cool experience . And then just the like live music popping up .
It just seems like there's so many really talented singer-songwriters , bands that play around here and it's just so cool because a lot of the things that go on in the Quad Cities are free or low cost and just kind of speaks to a whole group of people .
Whether you like rock music or kind of more mellow stuff , or if you're into , like you know , marching band or orchestra , it's like it seems like there's something for everybody here .
And then to hear your experience too with , like you know , the , the jazz coming up around here and obviously that that's one of those more legacy pieces with , like Biederbeck and the jazz festival .
So , yeah , that's just that's something that we really like hold on to , and people like you guys , who continue to make music like part of your life , really just adds to that ambience . So is there anything else that you guys are kind of looking forward to in this 2024 , 2025 school year ?
There are a lot of things I'm looking forward to . As you said , like , this is my senior year and as a music student , I'm a music education major , so I'm really immersed in music every single day . I'm excited for my last ensemble concerts this semester .
I'm playing in the University of Illinois Wind Orchestra and the Concert Jazz Band , so I'm really excited to see where those take me this semester , as well as the Marching Illini , and we're hoping for maybe some traveling at the end , some bowl traveling . I don't know , we'll see how it goes . It's game one , so let's go yeah , but yeah this semester .
I'm definitely really excited to see how things wrap up for me , jack what will be on your highlight reel this year .
I'm excited to grow closer to with all my friends in the band , grow closer to that community and also trying to make sure I make it to more of the music events that are around campus , because there's so many .
I miss on way too many last year that are around campus , because there's so many and I missed on way too many last year .
Oh , okay , yeah , Is it like student stuff or is it stuff that the school brings in for you guys ? Honestly , a mix of both , because I mean Anna said she was in the Wind Symphony , I believe .
So being able to hear those and all the other concert bands that we have and all the choirs that we have , all the orchestras we have I think there's some good jazz scene here that I could go listen to and then also , every once in a while , the school will bring in like a big , big , like headline concert that we could go see as well .
That's awesome , very cool . So we will start to wrap up this
¶ Quad Cities Summer Experiences and Plans
podcast . I've got just a few kind of rapid fire questions for each of you guys . So , jack , I'll start with you . So , on a summer day in the Quad Cities area , what is one or two things you like to do ?
One of my favorite things to do this past summer was to kayak down the Hennepin Canal now ?
Awesome , anna , I'll throw it to you .
Something I really enjoyed in high school was going to the mall , like South Park or North Park Mall , or , like Jack said , I'm really close to the Hennepin Canal , like my house , so , yeah , those trails are also really nice to do , so yeah , yeah , those trails are also really nice to do so yeah , I have to get down there and do that .
That sounds so fun . Okay , Anna , um must must experience Quad City food item .
Oh , geez , okay , Um , I gotta think about this one . Um , I don't know . Know , whenever I talk to my friends um who like around here that um aren't from like the midwest , I always ask , like , have you ever heard of whitey's ice cream ? And , uh , I gotta think of my favorite flavor . I really like the think it's called .
My mom just bought it for me when I was at home before the semester started Graham Central Station , that's what it's called . The Graham Central Station ice cream from Whitey's . That's the most delicious thing ever .
I agree . Okay , Jack , what's yours ?
I mean , you can never go wrong with Whitey's . But also I just didn't realize this until I think monday , like no one from school has ever heard what a pork burger is .
I love myself good pork burger where do you get a good pork burger around here ?
I don't know if I do I don't know where you can buy one , but my mom would always make them and they're so good okay , it's funny .
Um , like , I'm originally from michigan and there's a thing oh my gosh , I'm gonna from Michigan and there's a thing oh my gosh , I'm going to forget the name . There's a thing around here that comes a lot of times , is like a side or like an appetizer , and it's like a corn , like a deep fried corn , something Are you familiar with .
I think I've heard of that .
Quad Cities thing , but like I don't know , maybe it is , maybe it's not , maybe it's random Pickle wraps , I think , are a Quad Cities thing and then , like Quad City style pizza , I have to say that's probably my number one . Okay , and then what is an experience in the Quad Cities since you've been away at school that like you miss most of all ?
Or like maybe something that you haven't gotten to do yet ?
Something for me that I kind of miss , especially over the summers I haven't been home like the past three summers but is the Maple City Band and Genesis Community Choir Doing those things are both like really just super fun things because I get to like socialize with the people from the community that like I had never met before but like they're really good
musicians the people from the community that like I had never met before but like they're really good musicians and yeah . So those are like two activities that I really really miss and I'm excited to get back to , hopefully maybe this summer , depending on where life takes me .
So yeah , Jack , how about you ?
I miss the more rural small town feel that I can get at home , the more slower lifestyle that I can have and not all the big hustle and bustle that they have here .
Yeah , that makes sense , and that's something about the Quad Cities , too , that I've noticed . It's like you can have that like small town feel with big city amenities , like , even if you live in kind of one of the outskirt communities or villages , like you're literally 20 minutes from , like you know , a bigger city , if you will .
So I think that's one really cool thing , that , like Quad citizens can tout about the area . Okay , so last question , anna what are you studying and what are your plans after you graduate ?
So , like I mentioned earlier , I am a music education major , so this is my last semester on campus and then I'm going to go student teach next semester and then I'll graduate , and I think what my plans are is to find a job for like a year or so .
I want to hopefully go back and get my master's pretty soon after I graduate , but I also want to get that teaching experience to see how it goes and how I like it . Yeah , so that's my plans as of now .
Awesome . Well , good luck to you . That's super exciting . It's nice to kind of have a plan for when graduation does come . So it sounds like you've got some kind of track to follow . So that'll be super exciting . And , jack , what is your major and where do you think you'll end up after graduation ?
So I'm a financial planning major . I'm thinking about adding an accounting major onto that as well , and my long-term plan is to hopefully come back to the Quad Cities and start my own business as a financial planning tax firm .
Amazing , that's awesome . That is such a good goal and we love to have people come back here after graduation the boomerang effect , if you will . So all right , well , we will wrap this up . I have one final question for you guys the tradition on this podcast to fill in the blank QC . That's where Jack would you like to start first .
Quad Cities . That's where home is .
Perfect Anna . What's yours ?
The Quad Cities . That's where my musical journey started .
Love it . So Marching Illini are going to be in Rock Island on September 2nd , Labor Day 2024 . So don't miss it . Come see Anna and Jack play and support and celebrate with us . So thank you guys so much and I will let you get on with your day .
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