This story originally posted by Randy Hanson of the Hudson Star-Observer.
Aaron Still had a great freshman year at Iowa State University.
It was a busy one, too.
The week before the fall semester began, Still auditioned for the Iowa State University Cyclone Marching Band.
He demonstrated his marching skills for the directors; played a short, difficult composition on his trombone; and finished by performing the “ISU Fight Song” from memory.
The former Hudson Marching Band member made the grade. Still was selected to be one of 45 trombonists in the 345-member Cyclone Marching Band, also known as The Pride of Iowa State.
That made for a busy year — especially during the football season.
The band practiced on an outdoor field for an hour and 20 minutes each weekday.
On home game days, Still reported to an indoor practice facility four and a half hours before kickoff. That meant 6:30 a.m. for games starting at 11 a.m.
The band would have a short rehearsal, and then breakfast, before suiting up in full uniform. A half-hour performance at the University Alumni Center followed.
From there, the band marched to Jack Trice Stadium, where it gave a pregame performance and an 8-minute halftime show. There was a new show for each of the eight games the band performed at (including one away game at the University of Iowa).
“During the football game, we stand in a set of bleachers in the north end zone, where we play during timeouts, in between quarters and after nearly every down,” Still said in an email, responding to an inquiry from the Star-Observer.
The highlight of the season was the trip to Iowa City, where the Cyclones defeated the in-state rival Iowa Hawkeyes.
Still made the College of Engineering dean’s list for both the fall and spring semesters despite the busy schedule which included participating in the University Honors Program and the Quiz Bowl Club.
“I had a great first year of college. It was definitely an adjustment, but I learned quickly last fall how to balance schoolwork, marching band, clubs, etc.,” he said.
Still said his three years with the Hudson Marching Band definitely prepared him for joining the Iowa State band. Being able to march frontwards and backwards while playing his trombone is something he learned to do in high school, he said.
He also had to learn to read marching band drill charts and memorize music under Hudson band director Ryan McCarthy and assistant director Nick Syman.
Still started playing trombone in the sixth grade at Hudson Middle School, where Connie Root and Carl Meincke were his band directors. His directors at Hudson High School were McCarthy and Syman, as well as the late Aaron Hilden.
“I learned a great deal from each of these teachers,” he said.
Still is a 2014 graduate of Hudson High School. His parents are Tom and Kendra Still.