Jaguar Marching Band Announces New Drum Majors for 2022-2023 Performance Season
Posted on July 18, 2022 by Metty Wilson
The University of South Alabama Jaguar Marching Band has selected Marlo Daniels and Nicholas Herboso to serve as drum majors for the 2022-2023 performance season.
“It is always a major undertaking when it’s time to select new drum majors,” said Dr. William Petersen, who serves as director of bands and associate professor of music in the Department of Music at South. “This year, it is even more critical as we have two new band directors joining us, as well as additional new teaching staff. I always feel a bit of stress to make sure we get it right, which is why our candidates go through an extensive interview process.”
Daniels and Herboso rose to the top of a very talented pool of applicants this year.
“I think they have the natural leadership qualities, great musical skills, personality and character to make outstanding drum majors,” Petersen said. “They have already hit the ground running connecting with our new and returning Jaguar Marching Band members. We are excited to see what these two students will bring to the position.”
Daniels and Herboso will be seniors this fall. Daniels is from Gulf Shores, Alabama, and chose to major in music with a minor in related sciences. She plans to attend veterinary school at Auburn University after graduation. Herboso is from Fairhope, Alabama, and chose to major in meteorology with a concentration in broadcast. He is fascinated with the weather on the Gulf Coast and plans to continue his career in the area.
As drum majors, Daniels and Herboso will be responsible for conducting the band in the stands and on the field during South Alabama football games. They will perform intricate mace-work during pre-game shows, serve as the liaisons between the student leadership team and the directors and converse with people from all ages and backgrounds. The band director depends on the drum majors the most, and they must exemplify leadership skills on and off the field.
The Jaguar Marching Band’s upcoming schedule is expected to be busy with visiting bands, traveling to the University of Southern Mississippi and an exhibition performance on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. South’s band will also host the second annual South Alabama Marching Band Championships on Oct. 22, 2022, and the 14th Annual South Alabama Jaguar Marching Band Championships on Nov. 12, 2022. The Jaguar Marching Band will participate in several parades during the fall and spring semesters and perform at the six home football games, which are the main focus for the band.
Get to know Daniels and Herboso:
Why did you choose the University of South Alabama?
- Marlo: I chose the University of South Alabama not because it was just close enough to home to visit, but South had everything and more that I was looking for when choosing a university. I, of course, looked at the academic achievements of the University, but what really piqued my interest was all the ways to get involved on campus and how diverse the University is. There are so many people here from all over the world with different backgrounds that I don’t think I would have found anywhere else. What we have here in Mobile is so special and that definitely influenced my decision.
- Nicholas: The University of South Alabama provided me with an opportunity to go to a great school in a vibrant city only 45 minutes away from my home. South offers me incredible value with its high level of instruction in my areas of study. As a meteorology major, I love being at a school that often experiences many significant weather events. Our department has the opportunity to be hands-on with these events, an experience that is not easily found elsewhere.
What interests you the most about the band? Why did you join the Jaguar Marching Band?
- Marlo: I chose to join the Jaguar Marching Band for two main reasons: one, to get involved and make friends, and two, to continue doing what I love.
- Nicholas: I think that the coolest thing about marching bands, in general, is the sense of community we have together. I have had the opportunity to be in many different marching ensembles and, without fail, being in those ensembles has allowed me to foster some great relationships with other members. The Jaguar Marching Band is one of these communities of people that I am so happy to be a part of. Not only for the relationships I have with my fellow members but for the overall pride this community has. This ensemble is one of the biggest representatives of this University, and we take that responsibility very seriously. The Jaguar Marching Band’s sense of pride and community is what draws so many to our program. I love the activity and the people involved in it, and I honestly do not know where my life would be without the marching band and the opportunities it provides me.
How long have you been performing, and were you previously a drum major?
- Marlo: I have been involved in band for 11 years and going on nine years being involved in marching band. I was drum major at Gulf Shores High School my senior year, and there are no words to describe what an honor and humbling experience that position was to me. It drove me to continue marching here at South, and the love I have found for this program is what drove me to go for this new position.
- Nicholas: Marching band has been an important part of my life since my freshman year of high school. Over the years, marching band has allowed me to grow as a person and grow into many leadership positions. During my senior year of high school, I served as a drum major for the Fairhope High School band. After that, I went on to serve as a drum major outside of school in an independent marching organization. I was a drum major in 2019 for Southern Knights Drum and Bugle Corps, a competitive group in Drum Corps Associates. Leading up to my time at Southern Knights, I also had the opportunity to march at Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps on baritone for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. This group is competitive in the open class division of Drum Corps International, a premier league of marching ensembles.
How does it feel to be able to perform on campus inside the University’s new Hancock Whitney Stadium?
- Marlo: Being able to perform in Hancock Whitney Stadium is so surreal to me. I remember being a freshman and performing at Ladd-Peebles Stadium and hearing talk about finally having our own stadium to call home. There is always this specific atmosphere that the fans and students create in Hancock Whitney that creates a strong sense of school pride for what we do. Whether it’s pregame, halftime, or in the stands, every performance is that reminder that this is what we do this for and it is really an amazing feeling.
- Nicholas: Hancock Whitney Stadium has been one of the best venues I have ever played in for marching band. This stadium provides the opportunity for an exciting game-day atmosphere, an amazing field to play on, and a fantastic stage for the band’s sound to project into the stands. This stadium will allow us to grow a tradition of an exciting gameday experience for all who join us. I want the atmosphere in that stadium to be profoundly and uniquely representative of South. We have a responsibility as the band, as students and as a university to make this stadium’s atmosphere ours. This is our stage to show people “We are South.”