When Russ McMartin came to Brandon High School to be the band director in the fall of 1998, the band had 55 members.
Now, six years later, the number of students enrolled in band has more than doubled to 130 and is expected to rise to about 150 band students for next fall. More than one in every 10 Brandon High School students are involved in the band.
‘For this size school, 130 is pretty normal and 150 is great,? said McMartin, who has seen a steady increase in the numbers since his first year.
McMartin came to Brandon High School fresh out of Western Michigan University, where he graduated with a degree in music education. When he arrived, BHS had two bands? jazz and marching. Now, in addition to those bands, the school has two concert bands? mainly for freshmen and sophomores? and a symphonic band for advanced musicians. He hopes to add a wind ensemble for the most advanced students.
‘The key is to keep them challenged,? McMartin said. ‘We push them pretty hard. If the music is too easy they’re not interested.?
Adam Hyde, a BHS senior, plays tenor sax and is a drum major in the band. He transferred from the Lapeer School District after hearing about McMartin.
‘I like how he pushes us,? Hyde said. ‘He makes us read harder charts.?
Tom Gunnels, a junior in the band, agreed.
‘He sets us up for maximum capabilities and doesn’t settle for less,? Gunnels said. ‘He’s made me a better trombonist because of it.?
McMartin has also shown care for his students outside of their musical ability. When flute player Lauren Bayliss? mother was in a serious car accident, McMartin called to check on Lauren and led the band in making her an enormous card to express their concern.
On the lighter side, McMartin often dances and ‘makes a fool of himself,? said Gunnels.
‘I like that he makes everything fun and gives analogies to music so we understand it,? said Bayliss, who almost quit the band after middle school, but decided to keep trying and is glad she stayed. ‘Also, if we need help we can come in during lunch. He’s very flexible.?
McMartin spends his mornings at Brandon Intermediate School teaching sixth grade students. He teaches a trumpet class for an hour and then teaches an hour of saxophone, flute and oboe. Roy Johnson, band teacher at Brandon Middle School, teaches percussion, clarinet, trombone and French Horn.
Together, McMartin says, they work to keep the kids excited about staying in band.
‘It’s kind of like a team, but not one you join for one season,? McMartin said. ‘It’s one you join for seven years. Band is a long-term commitment, but a lot of these kids become their own social group. They work together and have fun.?
McMartin says the bands are always working toward a goal. They regularly achieve superior ratings in competition and are currently preparing to go to Florida in April to attend a music clinic and march in a Disney parade.
Hyde is also making plans? to major in music education at Grand Valley State University.
‘He has inspired me that much,? said Hyde of McMartin. ‘Others in the band are planning on majoring in music, too.?