Kaho Asai | The Chronicle
All 250 members of the William Mason High School Marching Band (WMHSMB) stand completely still in their meticulously rehearsed positions. Every pair of eyes is fixed on one person: sophomore and head drum major Juan Cedeno.
Cedeno is the first underclassman to ever fill this role in the WMHSMB. Each year, four drum majors stand at the front of the field on raised podiums to conduct the entire band. One is selected as head drum major and takes on additional responsibilities.
“As head drum major, you’re in charge of starting and ending the show,” Cedeno said. “The rest of the drum majors look at you, so you’re in charge of [keeping] time. You have to translate that time for everybody else. At the beginning of every show, [head] drum major salutes, and [you’re] really like the representation of the band.”
Cedeno has been in band since sixth grade. Before entering high school, however, he said he considered quitting band entirely to focus on football. But after an injury prevented him from playing football, Amanda Klingenberg, Cedeno’s Mason Middle School Band Director at the time, encouraged him to continue pursuing music.
Sophomore Juan Cedeno conducts the Mason Marching Band at halftime of the Mason football game on Friday, September 18.
“Mrs. Klingenberg was the reason I stayed,” Cedeno said. “She said, ‘Juan, you’re a great player. You have a lot of potential in this. Just keep going, and I can see you doing a lot of stuff in the future.’ She grew my love for saxophone and my love for band. [She] changed how I view [band].”
After committing to music and joining the WMHSMB, Cedeno said he decided to take on a greater leadership role by auditioning for drum major as a freshman. He said his experience in the band inspired him to pursue the position.
“I just remember hearing that loud sound [of the band for] the first time,” Cedeno said. “I’m a woodwind, so I’m not loud. The saxophone’s not loud at all, and I’m like, man, it would be cool if I could lead the sound. That position of representing the band and being able to see everything from up top, contribute at a bigger level, and just making a difference.”
To audition, students must attend clinics where they learn the basics of conducting and the responsibilities of a drum major. Then they conduct a piece they prepared for the directors and participate in interviews to assess their leadership skills. Underclassmen rarely audition for the position, and the last time one was selected was in 2020.
“I was going in there with the thought [that] I wasn’t gonna get it because I was a sophomore,” Cedeno said. “But it’s always good to audition. That’s what I tell a lot of people that are scared to audition for [things]: Just do it. If you’re confident in yourself [and have] the mindset of ‘whatever happens, you’re getting better,’ you’ll have a high chance of whatever you’re aiming for.”
The Band Directors select the head drum major by observing candidates’ performances during the few weeks of summer band camp. Although the other three drum majors are seniors with more years of experience, Cedeno was chosen to lead them. He said senior Mazden Buckner, in particular, has greatly supported him.
“When I first got [head drum major], I was like, ‘I can’t do this. It’s too much work. I think you deserve it more,’” Cedeno said. “He could have in his mind said, ‘Yeah, I do deserve it more,’ or ‘Go talk to the directors to give it to me.’ But he said, ‘You deserve this more than anybody else. You’re doing great, no matter what.’ So he’s definitely influenced me a lot and helped me stay here.”
With only four members, the drum major section has less than any other group in the band. Cedeno said this small group has helped them develop close relationships with each other.
“We get a lot of time together without having to deal with anybody else,” Cedeno said. “We’re basically a friend group at this point because we all get along equally. I was friends with Mazden before being a drum major, so I think [being drum majors together] helped us grow our bond even more; he’s one of my best friends now. [The drum majors] all rely on each other. Without one of us, the [band] could fall apart.”
Apart from the rest of the drum majors, Cedeno said he has received support from others in his life as well. Klingenberg, who now teaches in Indiana, learned about his new position and reached out to congratulate him.
“She texted me and was like, ‘Hey, I saw that you’re on the podium now. I’m really proud of you.’” Cedeno said. “It’s just really nice seeing somebody that has taught [me] so much musically in the past still support [me].”
Cedeno said he hopes that his success as head drum major encourages other underclassmen to audition rather than letting their grade level hold them back. Even though the audition process is still months away, Cedeno has already discussed the topic with aspiring students.
“I’ve talked to a lot of freshmen this year that want to audition, and I tell them [to] just go for it,” Cedeno said. “I hope [I have] inspired people to become leaders as [underclassmen]. Because at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what grade you’re in, as long as you’re a good leader.”
