The Ohio State University Marching Band is set to take the stage for an exhibition performance at the Bands of America Grand National Championship on Nov. 12.

BOA Grand Nationals is a prestigious high school band competition held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and is open to bands from all around the country. The Ohio State Marching Band will perform at the conclusion of semifinals competition on Saturday.

Fourth-year trombone player Adam Crusey and first-year tenor drums player Jacob Wesdorp took part in the event with their respective high school bands. Now, as members of the OSUMB, they’ve reflected on their past experiences as they look ahead to the performance.

Adam Crusey

When did you compete at BOA Grand Nationals and for whom?

I competed at BOA Grand Nationals from 2009-2012 with Centerville High School.

Can you describe the sights, sounds and emotions you experienced? What makes the event so important?

As a high schooler, the environment was really great. Lucas Oil Stadium is the largest stage that competitive high school bands get to perform on, and it was really amazing to get to perform in front of thousands of peers and fans that are all there just to see the bands. My first time performing in Lucas Oil Stadium was somewhat scary, but our band had worked hard all year to perfect our show, so I knew that I would do fine. BOA GN is definitely a one-of-a kind event where thousands of band kids can come together to celebrate what they love in front of such a huge audience of peers and fans.

What was it like competing at such a prestigious event? Any key memories from your team’s performance?

My high school band director always liked to tell us that being really good at something is the best form of fun you can have. It is really rewarding to get to spend a whole four-month season working on one competition show to see just how good we can be as a group. The competitive aspect of BOA is certainly fun, but our high school never tried to get caught up in the scores. We always just tried to be the best we could be. Performing at an event with dozens of other bands with that same mindset of excellence was a really great experience. My favorite memory from my four years of BOA performances was breaking ranks on the field after making finals my freshman year.

How have you changed as a musician since your BOA experience?

My experiences with my high school band performing at BOA events taught me the value of performing at a high level, and how to be a peer leader when I was a section leader.

How does it feel being a part of OSUMB and knowing that the band is going to be one of the main  performers at this year’s Grand Nationals?

Honestly, I think the experience will be very nostalgic. I’m very excited to come back to BOA! It has been four years since I performed at this event as a high school band member. I am really looking forward to one of my last performances in the Ohio State band to be at the event that made me love marching band so much.

Jacob Wesdorp

When did you compete at BOA Grand Nationals and for whom?

I competed at BOA Grand Nationals with Miamisburg High School in 2011, 2013 and 2014.

Can you describe the sights, sounds and emotions you experienced? What makes the event so important?

This was my first exposure to a big band competition so I had a lot of new experiences every year there. I had never seen that many people in one location for band. The best sights, sounds, and emotion, however, came during my last performance in 2014. We were the second to last band to perform in prelims, which meant the stands were packed. That was probably the first performance I've had with thousands of people watching. Hearing the massive amount of applause at the end of the show made it one of the more rewarding performances I've had.

What was it like competing at such a prestigious event? Any key memories from your team’s performance?

It was very cool to be competing at this event. Grand Nationals is the largest competition in the high school marching band world. It brings people from all over the nation together for band. Competing in such a great venue was also a perk.

How have you changed as a musician since your BOA experience?

Competing at BOA made me a more confident musician. I learned that no matter what the scores or judges say, there is always an audience for your performance. Not many bands make semifinals and even less make finals, however, every band there is greatly appreciated regardless of their scores at the end of the day. Because of this confidence, I've gone on to make myself a better musician by marching independent WGI groups and the OSUMB.

How does it feel being a part of OSUMB and knowing that the band is going to be one of the main performers at this year’s Grand Nationals?

Getting to perform for thousands of people who love band is going to be a great experience. We're often a big deal at the football games on the weekends, but that is a different audience. I'm excited to bring the OSUMB experience to thousands of new people!