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‘A college marching band on steroids’

Crossmen musical group calls Marshalltown home during Iowa competitions

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM SODDERS - The beat of drums, hum of guitars and chime of xylophones rung out across the Marshalltown High School campus this week as the district hosted the Crossmen of San Antonio, TX. The group took part in shows in Johnston and Dubuque last week, using Marshalltown as a place to stay.

Drivers, walkers and bicyclists who went by the Marshalltown High School campus this week saw some peculiar, musical sights.

Whether they were creating a drum beat, blaring the horn section or perfecting choreography, the San Antonio, TX-based Crossmen marching band called Marshalltown home temporarily as they took part in competitions in the state.

“Crossmen is an organization through DCI … Drum Corps International,” said Randall Himes, one of the group’s drum majors. “It’s essentially 154 members on the field performing shows throughout the summer, something we’ve been working on since may.”

And “working” accurately describes the band members’ activities during a particularly hot week. The sun beat down on the group members as they spent much of their time at the high school campus practicing.

“We rehearse, like, 12 hours a day … all of our beds are set up in the school cafeteria,” Himes said. “We wake up, we get breakfast out of a semi truck, then we come out and rehearse.”

In reference to that hard work rate, Himes described the Crossmen as being “like a college marching band on steroids.”

On Wednesday, the group competed against six other organizations in Johnston. They returned to Marshalltown for more practice and competed in a Dubuque event Friday.

“They reach out to area schools to see if anyone is available to host a drum corps that is performing,” said MHS Instrumental Music Director Brett Umthun. “It’s a good motivator, I think, for the students.”

The Crossmen worked with Umthun and district Athletic Director Rollie Ackerman on use of the grounds. Umthun said the group slept in the school cafeteria and some classrooms and used sports practice fields for training.

The Iowa stop is just one of several for the Crossmen this summer.

“We started in Texas, went up to Ohio, made our way through Indiana, Illinois (and) Minnesota,” Himes said. “Next is Texas, then we’ll go to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, Pennsylvania and we’ll end in Indiana.”

Along with the 154 performers, he said the non-profit group includes about 16 alternates and 40 staff members. They travel the country by bus.

Himes said he was grateful to the district for giving the Crossmen a place to sleep this week, especially since they were able to stay an extra night because another overnight plan fell through.

“We’re super appreciative of them,” Himes said.

Umthun said he thought the visit was mutually beneficial, allowing district music students to “…see what the marching band experience is like on the road” and the work such touring brings.

“It definitely motivates me as a teacher and band director to watch and witness some of their rehearsals and performance quality,” Umthun said.

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Contact Adam Sodders at (641) 753-6611 or asodders@timesrepublican.com

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