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From playing the saxophone to balancing a jam-packed school and extracurricular schedule, senior drum major Ashley Formo can do it all.
Formo said she has experience with a variety of instruments, and she started to play in first grade but she said she has strengths and weaknesses with each.
“My parents made me play piano before anything else, so I technically know how to play piano but I’m very bad at it,” Formo said. “I’ve been playing the flute since fourth grade, so I feel like the flute is the best instrument,” Formo said. “I can play piccolo, but not very well. I play saxophone for jazz band, and I could definitely improve on that.”
Her first role model in band was the teacher she started out with, but as she got older she found others that inspired her to keep with band and try new things within the class.
“When I was a freshman I had an upperclassman who was a drum major that I had looked up to ever since before seventh grade because she used to be at summer band camp, and she was really good,” Formo said. “I was just so inspired by her because she was always so nice and talented, so I decided I wanted to do that, and then I also didn’t have to memorize music.”
The drum major is the person that keeps time and directs the musicians on the field during the marching show. The job of the drum major comes with the leadership responsibility. As a leader, Formo said she has goals for both herself and the group.
“All-State was definitely one of my goals,” Formo said. “I got to make All-State last year which was surprising. Doing well in marching band and trying to help the band get good scores as a whole in our competitions is also important.”
All-state band is an audition-only group of the best of the best players. Those chosen work together to play challenging pieces during a state-wide convention.
“All-state was overwhelming because everyone around me was so good, and I felt like I was one of the worst ones there, but it made me better, and I feel like I’m a stronger player because of it,” Formo said.
As someone who is high-achieving in both band and academics, Formo has a lot on her plate. She takes multiple AP classes as well as maintaining the leadership role in the band.
“I try to do homework at lunch or anytime I can, but sometimes I have late nights,” Formo said. “I feel like it was worse last year because this year most of my classes are math based.”
This past weekend, the Antler marching band came home with second place after their competition at Millard South, the band’s first competition of the season.
“I think it went well for our first run,” Formo said. “We have so much more that we can show and improve on that people might be impressed with this year.”
Earning second place at a competition this early in the season shows the potential this group has.
“How we do depends on how hard we work,” Formo said. “This is definitely my favorite show. I think it’s the coolest one, and it has so many opportunities for us to do even better than last year.”
