When going to a football game, the team’s band will take over the field and perform before the game and during halftime. Whenever they are performing, they have certain drills that make different shapes for the audience to see. During senior night, the Revere High School (RHS) Marching Band made a 25 on the field to celebrate the class of 2025’s last home football game. With such little time given to create the drill, the senior class wondered who would be able to find all the information needed in order to execute the 25. They were able to find a student willing to make the 25 for the occasion. 

Junior Anthony Nigro has been a part of the band since fifth grade. Nigro was in percussion from fifth all the way to ninth grade and now plays saxophone. On the side, he plays the trumpet, clarinet and oboe. Nigro also has an interest in making drills. When the seniors needed help to make the “25”, they knew who to ask.

Senior Kallie Raubenolt plays the saxophone and is the section leader alongside Nigro, and knew that he enjoyed making drills. She asked him about the program he used to make his drills.

“I know that he likes to make little drill things for old bands on his phone, so I knew he knew how to do it. Originally, I was going to ask him what program he used to do it and I would make it. So I asked him what it was and he volunteered to make the actual drill,” Raubenolt said. 

When making drills each band member has their own dot number. This tells the musicians where specifically they are supposed to stand on the field. In return for Nigro making the drill, Raubenolt decided to help get the dot information needed to make the “25”. 

“Since it’s technically supposed to be a senior project, I said I would help him get all the information he needed and make the dot cards,” she said.

Nigro had two drafts of the 25. The first one had all the seniors in a line in the front, while all the other band members made the 25. He and Raubenolt showed the draft to the band directors Tom Chiera, Montana Fassnacht and Jacob Taylor. They gave some feedback to them and told them to make a second draft.

“They didn’t like it because there was too much going on,” Nigro said. 

Nigro and Raubenolt made the changes of having the seniors in the 25 and gave the dot assignments to the band members. During halftime on Friday, October 25, the band performed a part of their production and Ghostbusters. Then, they went to the 25 drill for their last performance of the night, Thriller. 

“I think it was pretty good; from the video, you could actually tell it was a 25,” Nigro said. 

Raubenolt expressed her gratitude for Nigro stepping up and taking on the challenge of making the 25 in only one week. She said she liked the way it turned out and how it was a good way to end the football season.

“It was such short notice I was really glad that he offered to do it. . . . It looks really good, like I would not be able to do that. I’m really thankful he offered to do that,” Raubenolt said. 

RHS Marching Band director Tom Chiera also was a fan of the 25 and would be open to having students make drills for future senior shows. He liked that Nigro took the initiative and was able to step up and make the drill for the betterment of the group.

“He stepped up and offered his services to some of the seniors that were organizing things and kind of ran with it,” Chiera said.

On a regular basis, Nigro plays the saxophone, but he also shows interest in many other instruments. He has played ten instruments. Six of them are percussion. He still shows interest in playing new instruments as well.

“He’s asked about other instruments, he took an oboe home last year,” Chiera said.

Nigro is able to play other people’s music on his own. During his freshman year, he was in the front ensemble and learned the entire RHS Band’s 2022 production “The Caged Bird Sings” on the saxophone himself. Raubenolt is unsure how he is able to figure out another instrument’s part, but she said it sounds good and he plays the part well regardless of how he finds the music.

“I’m not a hundred percent sure if he does it by listening or if he finds their music, but either way he does and it sounds really good,” she said.

Chiera said that Nigro is very passionate about the music program and that he is willing to contribute in any way. He also said that when looking for student leaders, he sees who can take feedback and apply it right away. Nigro shows that he is able to do just that.

“He takes instruction really well. I think he sets a really good example to improve every day,” Chiera said.

Nigro’s passion for the music program continues to grow with every piece of music he performs. He will be playing the clarinet for pep band and alto saxophone for RHS’s concert band. On his own time, he will continue to make mock drills for his favorite bands no matter if they are from Drum Corps International or a high school band that he enjoys. He hopes to make drills for the RHS band in the future again for his senior night.

This story was originally published on Lantern on November 26, 2024.