What do Tina Fey, Bill Clinton, and Samuel L. Jackson have in common? They are among the United States' most famous former marching-band members.
Marching bands are as American as apple pie. But behind the powerful rhythms, matching uniforms, and complicated choreography, there are young people whose lives have been deeply enriched by music.
"The majority of marching arts participants are between 14 and 22 years of age. This range often represents the most awkward and complex time in a young person’s life. They develop lasting friendships, first loves, and passions for a variety of interests," Walker Pickering wrote in the introduction to his photography project Esprit de Corps, currently on exhibit at the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, Texas.
He added in the introduction, "Many aspects of their lives are in constant flux. Connecting music to physical activity, along with a sense of camaraderie, empowers individuals who may have otherwise been aimless and isolated."
A music education has been found to have a positive impact in the development of teenagers and young adults. A 2013 National Endowment for the Arts study concluded that art and music students were more likely to attend college, avoid delinquent behavior, and stay away from underage drinking and the use of drugs when compared to students not involved in these activities.
Pickering, who teaches photography at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was a tuba player in high school and in college. He says that his music education and participation in a marching band helped shape who he is today. It's only natural then that as a photographer he returned to his passion.
Ahead, Pickering gives us an intimate look at what it's like to be part of a marching band.
How did you come up with the idea of taking pictures of young band members?
"I was a marching-band member throughout high school and college, and because it was a big part of my life as I was figuring out who I was, it was only natural to return to the subject years later."
The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps Rifle Line rehearse at Lehman High School, Kyle, Texas.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
Clarinet players in the stands, The University of Texas Longhorn Band, Austin, Texas.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
Why did you think it was important to capture pictures of these young musicians?
"I think [playing in a] marching band gives many of these kids some direction — even if only temporarily — that they’re often lacking. It would be easy to imagine the kid that had a tough childhood finally finding a way to focus their energy in a creative endeavor like marching band, but I think it’s just as important for the kids that just haven’t found their way in school yet. Marching band helped me create a family of my own choosing, which felt quite novel at the time."
Taja, Flute, Barbers Hill High School Marching Band, Mont Belvieu, Texas.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
Sousaphone players circle up before a game, Barbers Hill High School Marching Band, Mont Belvieu, Texas.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
Where are some of the locations where you have gone to take pictures of the bands?
"The majority of these groups were shot in Texas, but since moving to Nebraska in 2014...all of the work has been shot here. However, not all of the organizations represented were necessarily from those two states. The drum and bugle corps were often from other parts of the country, as far away as California, Wisconsin, and Illinois."
Dr. Robert Carnochan, Director of The University of Texas Longhorn Band, Austin, Texas.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
Kendall, Tenor Saxophone, Vidor High School.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
How long have you been working on Esprit? How much time have you spent with the musicians you've captured?
"My projects don’t usually have a firm start date, although I can generally find the first time I shot a particular subject. The earliest photographs were taken around 2008 or 2009, but the work really took off somewhere around 2011. I usually only have a day or so to shoot with the groups. I’ve been able to return to shoot with some organizations multiple times, but the longest total amount of time I’ve spent with any one group is probably three days."
Kirsten, Mellophone, Barbers Hill High School Marching Band, Mont Belvieu, Texas.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
Alex Judd, Drum Major, prepares the Longhorn Band for game day, The University of Texas Longhorn Band, Austin, Texas.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
What was the most surprising thing you learned while working on this project?
"Band kids are still band kids. They haven’t changed much in the 20 years since I started marching band, even if everything about the activity seems to have. I think I expected them to seem a lot more hip than I remember being at that age, but they’re just as silly and fun-loving as ever. Many of them still take the activity quite seriously, however."
Trumpet players in rehearsal, Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps at Forney High School, Forney, Texas.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
Brea, Bass Drum, Barbers Hill High School Marching Band, Mont Belvieu, Texas.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
What are the challenges you encountered while working on Esprit?
"Initially it was very difficult to get any band directors to grant me access to their groups. A few years prior to the beginning of this project, I approached a band director I didn’t know with a similar idea. His response was that they 'already had a band dad to take pictures' for them. I must have done a poor job explaining, because I was never interested in making photographs for them. This project was always for me first. When I started getting in touch with old music-major friends from college, the work became much easier to accomplish."
Cornhusker Marching Band members wait for their pregame performance, University of Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band, Lincoln, Nebraska.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
The Bellevue East High School Band waits to play the football team back on the field after halftime, Bellevue East High School, Bellevue, Nebraska.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
What do you want people to take away with them after seeing your photos?
"The best outcome I can imagine is that people realize these activities don’t happen on their own. They need community support and, most importantly, financial support. As a professor in a university school of art, I can attest to the need for more funding for the arts in general, but it was music that had the single most profound impact on my life. Encourage your kids to play music, and demand your tax dollars go toward supporting the arts."
Monica, Flute, Rocksprings High School Marching Angoras, Rocksprings, Texas.
Photographed by Walker Pickering.
The color guard circle up before taking the field at the DCI Southwestern Championships, The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, The Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas.
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