AU & AHS Bands Perform Together This Weekend

The Ashland University (AU) Marching Eagles and the Ashland High School (AHS) Arrows Marching Bands join forces this weekend to present two halftime shows. Directors Joseph Lewis, Jr. (AU), and Martin Kral (AHS) will lead 200 students to perform at the halftime shows for AHS' Friday night football game versus Mansfield Senior High School and again at AU’s Saturday evening football game against Saginaw Valley State University. Both games begin at 7 p.m.

With the theme of “Musicals,” the halftime shows will feature a performance by the home band and then the bands will combine to play two other show tunes.

On Friday night, the AHS Band will perform Mambo from West Side Story, then the AU Band will join them for This is Me from The Greatest Showman and Bohemian Rhapsody from We Will Rock You. This is Me will feature the AHS Sweeties Dance Team and Bohemian Rhapsody will feature the AU twirlers. The AU color guard will perform on both tunes as well.

On Saturday, the AU Band will perform two additional selections from The Greatest Showman including the title song, The Greatest Showman, and A Million Dreams. The AHS Band will join them for the two combined pieces that were performed at the Friday show.

According to Kral, who is an AU Band alumnus, the two marching bands performed together when he was a university student in the mid-1990s. He believes this is the first time in over 20 years that the bands have combined to perform together at each other’s halftime shows. Both directors hope to continue this joint effort for each football season.

Kral elaborated on Lewis’ outreach since he was appointed AU's Director of Bands, saying, "Within the last year we've met on several occasions about different opportunities for the university and the high school. We collaborated on the Middle School Honors Band last March and will again this coming spring. [As a member of the 122nd, Lewis] helped AHS host members of the 122nd Ohio Army National Guard Band. Fall of next year, Joe has a marching band show planned and has already invited us."

For more information about this weekend's events or the band programs, contact Kral at makral@ashlandcityschools.org or Lewis at jlewisjr@ashland.edu.