• OSUMB in Times Square

    • By ADMIN
    • May 16, 2012


    What’s new Drum Major, Kyle West’s first performance with the OSUMB? He’s in NYC in Times Square. No biggie! Okay, it’s pretty cool.


  • Lakewood graduate named Ohio State drum major

    • By L.B Whyde, Advocate Reporter
    • May 11, 2012

    HEBRON — Little did Scott Coffey know that asking Kyle West to try out for drum major at Lakewood High School in 2006 would lead to West earning the state’s most prominent drum major position six years later.

    And this won’t be the first time a Lakewood graduate will lead the Ohio State University Marching Band.

    West, 21, was named the band’s 58th drum major Tuesday and will lead the band during the 2012 football season. The tryouts took place at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in front of family and friends, as well as former and current Lancer Band staff.

    “It is still kind of surreal right now,” West said. “It hasn’t quite settled in yet.”

    Josh Halter was the first Lakewood graduate to earn the drum major spot at OSU and spent two years, 2008-09, strutting his stuff.

    There was not even a drum major position at Lakewood until Halter approached Coffey, who was the band director at the time, about the possibility.

    Coffey agreed, but when Halter was to leave, there was no one to fill his shoes.
    After much consideration, Coffey approached West. Coffey first met West when he was in fifth-grade band, playing tuba. At that time, West was very shy, quiet and withdrawn, Coffey said.

    But later coming in as a freshman, West was much more the extrovert and comedian. Coffey was impressed with his work ethic, so he asked West if he would be interested in becoming drum major.

    West didn’t seem interested, even though Coffey asked several times. When he saw West carrying the mace, however, Coffey knew he had accepted the challenge.

    “He progressed very quickly,” said Coffey, now vice principal at Lakewood. “Much like Josh, he never put the mace down. He was at school long hours, practicing.”

    West competed against eight other candidates in the following categories: Traditional ramp entrance, a twirling routine to “Zoot Suit Riot” and five aerial tosses.

    “All you can do is study for school and practice for drum major,” West said. “Everything else takes a back seat. I worked my butt off.” West is majoring in exercise science and nutrition. His mother, Sharon Hutchens, lives in Hebron. This was the first time his older sister was able to attend the tryouts.
    “It was kind of neat of getting it when she was there,” West said.

    Last year, West was the assistant drum major.

    As a freshman at OSU in 2009, West was on the drum major training squad.

    He didn’t want to do that two years in a row, so he tried out and was named to the sousaphone line during his sophomore year.

    He is the first person to be both a band member and a drum major. That gives West the unique possibility as a future alumnus to lead an alumni script and also dot an alumni script.

    Coffey was in attendance for the recent tryouts and felt a great deal of pride when West’s name was called.

    “I was so pleased, so proud,” Coffey said. “Like a proud father. This was the second time I got to experience one of my boys’ names being announced.”

    Coffey credits the whole idea of having a drum major at Lakewood to Halter, he said. The position hadn’t considered before. Now, it seems to be a tradition for Lakewood graduates to go on to the top spot.

    “Lightening has struck twice,” Coffey said.

    Read full article from the 'Newark Advocate' here.

  • How firm thy friendship.

    • By admin
    • May 8th, 2012

    Ohio State Alumni Drum Majors TBDBITL
    Alumni Drum Majors reunite as judges (or coaches) for 2012 Drum Major Tryouts. This picture truly represents how alive the traditions and history are within The OSUMB. The Drum Majors in this photo range from the years 1944 to 2011. How firm thy friendship!  

    Photo Credit: Ed Crockett, Crockett Photography

  • 21st Annual Drum Major Clinic: Recap

    • By admin
    • APRIL, 2012

    2012 Ohio State Drum Major Spring Camp
    The Ohio State University Marching Band and The High School Drum Major Training Program hosted the 21st Annual Spring Drum Major Clinic this April. The first clinic was held in 1992, with only one student (who turned out to become future OSUMB Drum Major, Karl Neudorfer, 94-95). Today, the clinic has grown to over 30 students from more than a dozen different school districts across Ohio. This year students and parents had the opportunity to attend the Ohio State University Spring Football Game and watch the 2011 Assistant Drum Major, Kyle West, perform at halftime with the Spring Athletic Band. On Sunday, participants met to learn valuable lessons about leadership and drum majoring from TBDBITL Alumni Drum Majors. Guest Speaker include Alumni Drum Major Matt Bally (99-00) and Alumni Director Dr. Paul Droste, Marching Band Director, and retiring Director Dr. Jon R. Woods.

    The attending students then spent the afternoon learning the traditional Drum Major ramp entrance (including strutting) and basic to advanced twirling from the assembled current and alumni Drum Majors.

    If you are interested in learning more about participating in the High School Drum Major Training program, please contact us here. Summer sessions & training will begin again in mid-June.


    Meet the Trainers: Alumni Drum Majors and Assistant Drum Majors at the 2012 Spring Clinic...
    Ohio State Drum Major Camp - TBDBITL

  • Jason Stuckert receives honor, named Most Inspirational Bandsperson

    • By admin
    • NOVEMEBER 2011


    At the 2011 Annual Veteran’s Memorial concert, OSUMB Assistant Director, Jon Waters, announced Jason Stuckert as the 2011 Most Inspirational Bandsperson. Jason is the 10th Drum Major to win the award, and the 4rd Drum Major in the past 10 years to win as well. The Most Inspirational Bandsperson award is recognized as the top honor given by the marching band to any member. What makes it so special is that the recipient is selected by votes from all Marching Band Peers and Directors.



    Jason Stuckert is a junior Marketing major from Avon Lake Ohio. Before coming to Ohio State Jason was a two-year drum major for Avon Lake High School and an active participant in the Drum Major training program throughout his high school years.

    The Most Inspirational Bandperson Award is in its 54th year, with the first recipient being bandsman V. James Polidora in 1957.

    CONGRATS Jason, the honor is well deserved! (Drum Major 2010 & 2011 Season)

    Ohio State Drum Major “MIB” Award Winners throughout the years:
     
    - Lenny Hart (1959)
    - Bob "Link" Harper (1964)
    - Barry Kopetz (1972)
    - Dwight Hudson (1979)
    - Oliver McGee (1980)
    - Rich Parks (1988)
    - Adam Prescott (2002)
    - Stewart Kitchen (2007)
    - Josh Halter (2009)
    - Jason Stuckert (2011)