With just a little bit left to go of their Bands of America San Antonio finals performance, the marching band was turning and facing her atop her podium at the back of the field. For the buildup to the last major point in the closing piece of the show “Turning the Tables,” it was her responsibility to keep the band in time with her conducting. From the corner of her eyes she could see the props fall into place perfectly, and in front of her, the band had nailed their triangular form just as well. As the music and her heart swelled, drum major Emily Ogden could tell that this was a moment that would stick with her forever.

“I don’t even know how to describe that,” senior and head drum major Emily Ogden said. “That was the happiest I’ve ever been besides winning State. It was so cool to be up there and to like, hear my name be called from the box. And to just watch everybody take the field and just see them getting ready. It was cool to just watch everyone take what they knew and perform. To be there and proud- it was amazing. There’s not really words I could put to what I was feeling. It was just- I was just so happy and full of joy.”

Senior Emily Ogden has spent two very different years as drum major of the marching band. Her first year was full of football games and competitions, doing her best to make sure the band had a good and successful year after winning the 2018 UIL State Champion title. This year, on the other hand, has had many fewer games, with no competitions at all.

“For me, it’s been pretty exciting and it’s super different than, I mean, it’s super different than any of the years I’ve done,” Ogden said. “But it’s different being a drum major during this time. Getting to see people and getting to teach people has been really fun and I’ve enjoyed getting out and going somewhere and just doing something. It’s definitely different and it’s a lot less stressful than years past and that’s really nice.”

Since there aren’t any competitions, the band directors have the chance to try new procedures. For Ogden specifically, this year she’s the head drum major, leading her team and the band. This year her team of drum majors gets to be in charge of the football games, kind of as a way to make up for the lack of a “normal” drum major experience.

“And that was cool, to just be in charge and to take some stress off of the band directors,” Ogden said. “That was really nice to see that they were having a good time and that they didn’t have to worry about if the band was gonna play good or not. And being up there, because last year I was in the back, being in the front is a different experience. It’s louder and it’s more noisy and it’s just- overall it’s just a different vibe.”

Being a drum major entails responsibilities beyond conducting. A drum major is a permanent tech, meaning they are always there to help the band get better at marching or the music. They take care of some of the important technology behind the scenes, and are always there to answer questions or take it to a band director. Drum majors are also the face of the band, representing the band and what it stands for.

“It’s not as easy as it looks,” Ogden said. “Like, there’s a lot more that goes on than just conducting the show. It’s cool to watch them conduct and be the conductor but then you also have lots of responsibilities on top of that and I think a lot of people miss that part. They think ‘Oh if I’m a drum major, I’m just gonna conduct,’ when really you have to like, set up rehearsal, get there early, get the forms, do this, do that, and you have a lot of extra responsibilities on top of that. Then you also have to remember that you are representing Vista Ridge so you have to be on your best behavior. You are the person that people see as from Vista Ridge and ‘that band is really nice,’ or ‘really rude’.”

Going from a regular performer with responsibilities only to themselves to drum major with responsibility to the whole band is a large leap. The first rehearsal, the first football game, and the first competition all become brand new experiences for a first-time drum major. It’s not all bad though, as drum majors get an exclusive perspective.

“I definitely enjoy being a drum major more than a performer,” Ogden said. “I mean, you’re both performing, it’s just a totally different type of performing and it’s- I’ve enjoyed being up there and watching from the outside band. It’s a completely different experience than actually being on the field. And I’ve had about the same time of marching and conducting, so it was cool to make that transition. When I was a drum major last year, it was like starting band all over again it was so different.”

For Ogden, being a drum major had been a goal since her freshman year. The conducting had its appeal, and so did the teaching aspect of the role. So for her junior year she decided to try out, and as luck would have it she made it.

“As a freshman I really enjoyed watching, like I looked up there and was like ‘I wanna do that.’ I also love teaching so I wanted to be in a teaching role. And so that interested me because I was an assistant teacher, like a squad leader my sophomore year and I wanted to be the teacher and I liked the conducting. So, it was kind of just a ‘I’m going to try this out and see how it goes,’ and I’ve enjoyed it. And even the process is fun and getting to like, work with people and stuff like that. It’s a bonding moment and I enjoy that.”