Penn State Blue Band freshman Christin Folker compares lining up and marching out of the tunnel into Beaver Stadium to a “310-person roller coaster — an amazing rush.”

Lewisburg 2009 graduates Folker and Mark Joseph and Shikellamy 2009 graduates Dylan Wynn and Victor Gowl join third-year member Daniel Zartman in this year’s Blue Band.

Zartman believes walking through the tunnel leading to Beaver Stadium is surreal. But for him, the most exciting moment was walking out of the tunnel at the 2008 Michigan State game.

“A passing snow squall was producing whiteout-like conditions on the field and in the stands the fans were wearing white,” said Zartman. “Everyone was excited to be there because of the winning season, thus making it a very spirited and memorable moment.”

While definitely not as physically intense as playing football, being a Blue Band member is physically demanding, particularly for those with heavy instruments like Zartman, who carries a 45-pound sousaphone, and Wynn, whose percussion instrument weighs around 25 pounds.

“Sometimes just standing with your equipment for an extended period of time can be difficult,” said Wynn, who in eighth grade answered “being a member of the PSU Blue Band” when asked where he saw himself in five years.

“Let me tell you, my thighs killed me every night during band camp from doing the Blue Band high step,” said Gowl, who plays the baritone. After a day-long practice, Gowl would go back to his dorm and lay down for two hours nursing his sore legs.

Another toll on the body is sunburn.

“Some of our practices are extremely hot and intense, and having a metal, shiny instrument in your face does not help,” said Gowl.

One time, Folker, who wasn’t sure if she was marching correctly, learned the truth of the saying “If you’re not in pain, you aren’t doing it right.”

“After learning the high step march and practicing it a few hours a day, you start to feel pain in muscles you’ve never felt before,” said Joseph. “Everyone must put lots of time into the marching to get every member looking sharp.”

Walking through the tunnel onto the Beaver Stadium field is probably the most exciting thing Folker says he’s ever done.

“I mean literally, when you walk out in uniform in front of 105,000 people for the first time, you pretty much forget everything else and just stand there in amazement,” he said. “Not only the thrill of being in front of so many people, but I had the ‘freshman freeze’ when the football team walked out of the tunnel just a few feet in front of me.”

Joseph has gone from a self-proclaimed “band geek” to being looked up to with appreciation and respect.

“Let’s just say there are a lot of fans of the Blue Band,” he said. “Even walking through the stadium during games you can hear people say ‘Ahhh look, the Blue Band.’ ”

“I know Blue Band members are almost worshipped here,” Wynn said. “I might also add Blue Band drummers — particularly snare drummers — are quite popular with the ladies.”

Both Folker and Joseph credit Lewisburg High School Band Director Justin Hill for helping them prepare for the Blue Band audition.

“Mr. Hill was the guy who kept me in line, even though it was always a lot of fun to mess with him and make him laugh,” said Joseph.

Hill modestly admits to just doing his best to provide Lewisburg students with great opportunities and support to succeed. “Ultimately, though, it comes down to the individual student and what they do with that opportunity.”

Shikellamy High School Band Director Scott Carey also challenges his students to improve.

“Wynn, Zartman, and Gowl were always striving to improve themselves as musicians, which ultimately affected them as individuals,” said Carey. “Their drive and musicianship developed in high school helped them achieve their goal.”

Wynn believes Carey instilling in his students a passion for music, especially marching music, was a major factor in both his deciding to audition and in putting in the time and energy it took to develop his skills.

“Without Mr. Carey’s intense level of marching, I would not nearly be in enough physical shape to do the Blue Band,” said Gowl.



The students

-- Mechanical engineering major Dylan Wynn, 18, is the son of Ron and Diane Wynn, of Northumberland.

-- Music education major Victor Gowl, 18, is the son of Cynthia Gowl, of Sunbury.

-- Architectural engineering major Daniel Zartman, 20, is the son of David and Frances Zartman, of Sunbury.

-- Biology/neuroscience major Christin Folker, 18, is the daughter of Joseph and Lisa Folker, of Lewisburg.

-- Mechanical engneering major Mark Joseph, 18, is the son of Rod and Lisa Joseph, of Lewisburg.