Championship win 'exciting' for Malverne

For the second consecutive year, the Pride of Malverne, Malverne High School’s marching band, has been crowned New York State Champion. While this marks Malverne’s third title in the last five years, this is its first win at the higher Small School 2 division.

“We were in Small School 3 last year and we had so much success that there wasn’t much competition left there for us,” said Michael Messina, chairman of the Malverne school district’s music department. “So … the organization decided we should move up, and we gladly did and we won again. We weren’t supposed to win this year — that’s why it’s so exciting.”

What’s the secret, the Herald asked Messina, that allowed the Pride to take the title in its first year in a new division. He replied that there is no secret: the 95 students who participate in the marching band enjoy the experience and that is, in large part, what causes them to excel.

“We’ve made it such a social event for them to be in the band that they enjoy it so much and they put their heart into it so much because they’re spending so much time together with their friends and having fun, and something’s always going to be better when you’re enjoy what you do,” Messina said. “They’re not doing it because their parents told them to be in the band, they’re doing it ‘cause they want to do it. And when you can get kids to do something that they believe they want to do, they’re unstoppable.”

Of course, there is also a lot of rehearsal and practice that goes into it. Throughout the season, which begins in the spring and ends after the state championship, the students practice in class, attend Monday and Wednesday rehearsals and practice on Saturdays and Sundays. They also attend a band camp during the summer. They enjoy the practice so much, according to Messina, that the students are actually “begging” for more rehearsals in the off-season. “They can’t wait for rehearsal to come,” he said.

“Every year they want to start rehearsing earlier and earlier,” said Erin Lynch, the band director and a Malverne alumna who had been in the band. In addition to their practices, many of the students involved in the band also participate in school concerts throughout the year or in the high school musical. Some, according to Lynch, also audition for various statewide, regional and national competitions.

“It’s nice when you put in so much time and so much effort and you actually get something at the end that recognizes that accomplishment,” Lynch said, “because every year you put in so much effort, but when you finally have something to show for it, that’s when you really feel like it as worth all that time and energy.”

While recognition is always nice, for Lynch, Messina and the students, being involved in the band and competing is about more than taking titles. “Winning is never our focus,” Messina said. “Our focus is on the process of learning and we never focus on the results. If we learn everything properly and do the correct process, then the results will happen. … A philosophy that we have is that if you take care of the smallest details, the big things will take care of themselves.”

Giving credit to the students for their effort and dedication and success, Messina also thanked his staff for their commitment to making the Pride of Malverne as impressive as it has been. His thanks go to: Lynch; Assistant Director Glen Johnson; Color Guard Director Michael Maraia; Drill Designer Michael Coppola; Drum Line Instructors Nick Coperine, Dan Marcone, Paul Marcone, Shane Oates and Laray Mason; Front Ensemble Instructors Bill Marino and Ken Zagare; Allan Thompson, low brass and marching; and Color Guard Instructors Amanda Alves and Dina Ramalhete.