Junior drum major Kassie Mathews directs the OCHS marching band during a recent practice. She is back as drum major for the second consecutive year. (Submitted Photo)
The Oglethorpe County marching band is taking the field this season with a haunting new show, titled “Nightmare.”
The show begins with Brahms’ “Lullaby,” then transitions into a song called “Nightmare” and a ballad, “Sound to Silence.”
“We kind of take the crowd into a we’re laying down, going to sleep, and then it kind of twists,” director Lee Jones said.
The end of the show includes original work by Jones, and then closes with the song “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence.
“Mostly because of the ‘wake me up’ lyrics,” Jones said. “That’s kind of where we wake up from the nightmare.”
Along with curated musical pieces, props will be used to support the nightmare storyline. Screens and special costuming are still being discussed.
“We’re still trying to decide what exactly we’re going to put on the prop screens,” Jones said. “There is one kind of big prop, but I want to leave it as a surprise.”
The band began practice over the summer, with band camp held one week in June and one in July.
“I was just really impressed with the kids — how much talent they retained — even taking a three-week break,” Jones said.
Rehearsals begin with a warmup stretch and calisthenics, and then students work on marching technique.
“It was really cool during our first week of band camp when we were teaching all of the new kids how to march,” said Kassie Mathews, a junior who returns as drum major.
Mathews conducts the band during practices and competitions. She provides cues to help guide the band through the course of the show.
“With the theme, I’ve made some of my cues a little more nightmare themed,” Mathews said. “I do a lot of stomping on the podium and I really listen to the music to figure out where these cues need to be.”
A lack of numbers had been an issue in the past, but the band increased from 45 students last year to 51 this season.
“I love that more people are joining because I remember two years ago we had 20 wind players. Maybe even less than that,” Mathews said. “It’s really cool to see how interested the younger grades are in playing.”
The band will compete in three competitions in October, including the East Georgia Marching Championship at Statesboro, which will be held on Halloween.
“That's going to be a fun performance,” Jones said. “It’s also going to be late in the season so we will be at our peak.”
Competitions
Oct. 3: Lake Lanier Tournament of the Bands, Chestatee
Oct. 17: Lake Hartwell Marching Festival and Competition, Hart County
Oct. 31: East Georgia Marching Championship, Statesboro
2026 OCHS marching band
Drum major: Kassie Mathews
Flute: Pharmoni Bryant (senior), Ansleigh Treadwell, Emma Satterfield, Elijah Johnson, Berenice Berrios, Layla Hurst
Clarinet: Eh Khu, Lizzie Randolph
Alto saxophone: Victor Ross (senior), Novalie Hokanson, Jackson Cotton
Tenor saxophone: Maddie Carter (senior)
Baritone saxophone: Ky’ran Edwards, Calvin Hgay
Trumpet: Ethan Paul, Aydan Aziz (senior), Xander Bryant, Luke Bell
Mellophone: Omar Sagastume
Baritone: Eli Austin
Trombone: Colin Fricks, Rylee Stanley, Ella Head, Cailyn Torbit
Sousa: Benji Ditty, Marty Barclay (senior)
Snare drum: Caden Caldwell
Bass drum: Aurora McCurley, Kayleigh Fortner, Nate Webb
Front ensemble: Carl Tittle (senior), Luke Jones, Dipper Gerow, Molly Graham, Chloe McRee, Jackie Arroyo
Guard: Macie Miller (senior), Arrington Clark, Jenna Morlan, Alexis Brakhage (senior), DeRaeya Jones, Shay Eubanks, Paisley Firster
Majorette: Mya Jewell (senior), Anna Kate West, Lucie Iodice