London, ON - "Marching Band isn't easy, but it's simple" said Quinn Fleming, Director of the Western Mustang Band (WMB).
 
For the fall 2023 season, the Western Mustang Band at Western University showcased not just musical talent but also a remarkable spirit of unity and resilience. Known for their dynamic performances and strong sense of community, the WMB's season this year was a symphony of unforgettable moments and camaraderie.


 
Quinn Fleming, the Director, began his journey with the band as a member during his undergraduate years at Western University starting in the fall of 2013. After five years of deepening his musical skills and understanding the band's intricate dynamics, he became an instructor in the fall of 2016 and stepped into his first year as the Director in January 2017. Fleming emphasized the collaborative nature of leading the WMB. "The big thing to not forget as a band director, is how important it is for the music arrangements to resonate with the players. The actual notes I give them have to be read, processed into their brain, into their phonatory system, and then communicated through their body and through an instrument. If the player doesn't want to embody the music arrangement, they'll lack confidence - and that's not fun. The concept of counterpoint, where each instrument's part sounds like its own melody, is something I try to incorporate into our music, so no matter which instrument you play there's a little bit of joy in playing a melody."
 
As the Band's leader, Fleming said his musical beginnings can be traced back to his teenage years. And his commitment to music grew significantly during his time at Western University. "As a teenager, I wrote songs for my ska-punk band and needed horn players, so I joined the Windsor Optimist Youth Band halfway through Grade 11. Tons of great people that played from WOYB later graduated from the Don Wright Faculty of Music, including Jarrett McCourt (tuba, BMus 2013). The Director of WOYB, Michael Seguin, often spoke about the Drum & Bugle Corps activity as an intense marching band experience. This led me to audition for the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps, a 'World Class' team from Boston, MA. After graduating from this activity, I worked as a tour administrator before dedicating all my focus to the Western Mustang Band."

For choosing music for the band's performances, Fleming said "Generally though, I have three categories that decide the marching band's playlist for the season; Recent: any big song that's trending, even if it's silly. Recognizable: marching bands are cover bands in some regards, so a general audience should be able to recognize, sing along with, or even participate with a few songs, such as Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond, or Mama Mia by ABBA. Lastly, Quality: some music is just plain good, and even if it's unfamiliar it's still enjoyable for players and participants."
 
WMB 2023 President Katie Paradis found her musical calling in high school. She deepened her commitment when she joined WMB at Western University. " I gravitated towards the marching band because I was looking for a fun way to get involved at Western that also allowed me to play my instrument!." she explains. " Marching band is special to me because it gave me a place at school that I felt at home and a safe and comfortable place make friends " Paradis also spoke of the challenges within the band before performing. " I always get pre performance jitters, especially before the pre game at football games. I just always want it to look amazing for all the spectators!," she reflected.

Band secretary Cindy Li was immersed in music since childhood, but she found a new avenue for her passion in the marching band. " Music is something I've been involved in since I was five years old, and is something I've put a lot of time and effort into throughout my life." Li also talked about what brought her to the band. "The marching band was an opportunity for me to continue with an activity that I've greatly enjoyed for many years. I know that many others joined for similar reasons, and we all want the band to continue to be a space for people to continue engaging in music."

The leaders' commitment to fostering a nurturing environment is evident in their actions. Every leadership team member takes a proactive role in guiding the band, ensuring each member feels included and valued. "I've seen how everyone plays a role in maintaining the space that the band creates for us all to come together " Li stated.
 
Li also shared her excitement about the band's involvement in bringing school spirit to games. "The energy we brought to the Yates Cup was electrifying. When we realized our music was impacting the game experience, it brought a new level of excitement and unity among us. It felt like we were directly contributing to the team's success."
 
Despite the challenges faced throughout the season, including adapting their performances to various sporting events and maintaining high energy levels, Fleming and members of the band were pleased with the band's impact this year. "Whichever performance happened most recently [is the one that will have a lasting impact]! The band program itself isn't trying to create one-off spectaculars, that's something I learned over my time leading. The legacy of the band I feel is more subtle, it lives through the relationships and support between current members, alumni, and the Western campus as we try to grow positively as a program and community." 

This past season of the Western Mustang Band has arguably been the best to date. The band performed at five home football games in front of great crowds, and helped to protect five wins in the Western Mustangs' own house. The Band also participated in and played at four Santa Claus parades this year, including: the Strathroy parade, the London Downtown parade, the London Hyde park parade and the Toronto Santa Claus Parade. The Western Mustang Band also won "Crowd Favourite" at the parade, and came in 2nd for top university marching band at the 2023 Toronto Santa Claus Parade.

Li also expressed her pride in the band's cohesion and hard work this past year. "I'm incredibly proud of everything that the band has managed to accomplish this year, and members can really see how their time and hard work translate to performances."

One very special event tradition is the Band Table Carving night at the Spoke, which was held again this year on November 30. The Spoke has a giant table on the wall, which came over from the original Spoke when it was in the basement of the Thames Hall building; and this table has a big "Western Mustang Band" on it. Current members of the Band use band keys to carve their names. And before Rick McGee retired from Spoke performances just this past year, the Band also used to play a few songs with him at the table carving night. In addition, the WMB hosted a semi-formal dinner for members at the Wave, as well as a volunteer recognition after party.

This year was not just about musical prowess, it was about efforts in hard work and spirit. Capturing the essence of their journey, Clarence Wang, the Flag Sergeant of the Band said "Through every note we played, we didn't just perform, we brought the spirit of Western to life."

"Investing time and energy into building up strong student leaders in the marching band is key to sustaining a positive and motivated team culture. I'm particularly fortunate to be directing the band at Western because of the motivated and talented students that march the program each year." said Fleming. 

This season, the band harmonized more than music; they continued to create an enduring legacy of passion and community.

Article written and video produced by Clarence Wang, Flag Sergeant of the band. In his two years with the band he has spun and tossed flags at many Mustangs football games and holiday parades.