Cohort 2 graduate Jessica Creigh is a junior at the University of Delaware (UD) where she majors in English Education and minors in Theatre Studies. When she’s not in the classroom, Jessica performs in the University of Delaware Marching Band where she plays the flute. We sat down with Jessica to talk about her experience in the marching band and how she balances her time with a hectic schedule.
When did you start playing the flute?
I started playing in 4th grade. It had the option to either play the flute or the trumpet — and I liked the sound of the flute just a bit more than the trumpet. I definitely didn’t think I would be playing 11 years later in college!
What made you decide to join the UD marching band? Was that a factor in you attending UD?
I joined the marching band at Milford High School in 9th grade and when I came to college, I knew that I still wanted to perform. While I knew I was going to attend UD because of their education program, being able to join the marching band was definitely an added benefit as I love performing.
How much time do you spend practicing each week? When and where do you perform?
We practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 4:00pm - 6:00pm. We perform for every home football game, so typically 5 or 6 times per year. We perform during pre-game, halftime and post-game. We will also perform during their annual spring game and at some local high schools throughout the school year.
What’s your game day routine?
Wake up at 5:30am, practice for an additional three hours from 8:00am - 11:00am and then start playing pre-game for VIP members at the game. After we perform at halftime and post-game, we wrap up and head home. It’s a long process, close to 12 hours or so.
What do you love most about being a member of the University of Delaware Marching Band?
Just being able to perform in front of a large crowd and seeing their reactions to our hard work. It’s a really cool experience to see 300 members truly perform as one.
How do you balance your time between your studies and marching band?
This is the most challenging part, but definitely something I’ve become more comfortable with as I’ve gotten accustomed to my work in college. I try to schedule the majority of my classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and do the majority of my work then. There’s definitely never a dull moment as I’m always running around from one activity to the next!
If you’d like to see Jessica and the University of Delaware Marching Band perform at halftime, the Blue Hens have one more home game remaining as they take on Stony Brook this Saturday at 1:00pm and at future home football games.
