Drum Majors fill
leadership
role

 

Fans tend to associate drum majors with the flashy strutting and mace routines seen on the football field, but the job of drum major for the Purdue "All-American" Marching Bands entails much more. Pregame and halftime shows at Ross-Ade Stadium give the drum majors a chance to strut their stuff. Then the tall ceremonial hat, traditionally made of Russian black bear fur, comes off and the long mace, decorated with gold braid, get laid aside. Purdue is one of only a few universities where the drum major has the responsibility to conduct the band in the stands, picking tunes that will fire up the fans. This year Cherrie Lemon, from St. Louis, MO; MinChan Koo from Seoul, South Korea; and Mitchell Osterday from New Paris, IN bring youthful energy to the position of drum major with the Purdue Marching Band and add extra meaning to its “All-American” name.

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