Music students band together to excel at Cloverdale

A music man who wears many hats for Cloverdale Community Schools, Bill Cole assumes his Cloverdale High School choir director role in putting the CHS Choir through its practice session recently.

CLOVERDALE -- So how important has the music program become for Cloverdale Community Schools?

Let Kess Raisor, who plays the trumpet in the band and performs with the winter guard as well, put it all in perspective.

"I probably would have been home-schooled if not for the band program," the Cloverdale senior admitted.

It's more than just the music to Anna Cole, who plays alto saxophone.

"We've all been in band together since fifth grade," she said glancing at fellow band mates nearby. "All of my friends are in band."

She also offers high praise for the Cloverdale band director, Bill Cole, no relation.

"Thank God for Mr. Cole," Anna said of the music educator who has been harmoniously synonymous with the Cloverdale music program since coming aboard in 1996.

More recently, with staff cuts, personnel changes and new programs, extra helpings of responsibility have found their way to Cole's plate.

Need a middle school band director? Cole's your man.

Jazz band forming? Cole's hep to that jive.

Choir director taking a new position? Let Cole take on the vocals.

As Cloverdale's Music Man he's been busier than a Cole Porter/Nat King Cole combo.

He introduced the Marching Clovers to the Indiana State Fair Marching Band competition the year after taking the band director's position and they have been active in the contest ever since.

The Clovers also perform in the annual Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Summer Showcase Contest, earning gold ratings two of the past three years.

Then there's Race Day at Indianapolis, where the Cloverdale Marching Band has been one of the units invited to march around the 2.5-mile oval in anticipation of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

"Actually being on that track and crossing the 'Yard of Bricks,' that is a memorable experience for those kids," Cole said.

"The Indy 500? I loved it," Anna Cole agreed. "People don't understand how hard it is playing and moving."

Marching and playing a musical instrument is no easy trick, let alone doing it in formation on a hot, banked oval track.

James Neier, who plays tenor sax, likes the Indy experience as well.

"I love being able to hear all the newbies say 'that was so hard,' and then say, 'Let's do it again.'"

Drum major Tanner White (right), a Cloverdale High School senior, practices on the marimba as CHS Band Director Bill Cole (center) and Dakota Jones, assistant drumline instructor, offer suggestions concerning his performance.

Then there's the Winter Drum Line, currently 28 students strong, getting ready for competition starting in February, along with Pep Band for the Cloverdale basketball games, the solo and ensemble contests that come the end of January and Jazz Band, working on sight readings for an upcoming March event.

"We offer a wide range of musical opportunities for the kids," Cole understated, "at whatever level of time, commitment and energy they want to get involved."

The high school and middle school bands and even the choir are all Cole's responsibility now. But that they are quite successful is something he's quick to credit to others.

"It's been a cooperative effort," Cole said. "I've been blessed to work with a lot of talented kids over the years.

"I really think it's the students' level of commitment and the support they receive from their families and the administration."

Cole says he relishes how the band has maintained a family atmosphere within its own organization.

"We look out for each other," he said. "We have high expectations, too, and our students come through with flying colors."

Drumline assistant instructor Dakota Jones, an Indiana State University student who is an alum of the highly successful Northview High School band program at Brazil, has also taken note of what's happening in the music department at Cloverdale.

"It's such a great opportunity to have this kind of program here," he praised. "I know a lot of my friends who didn't have an opportunity or a chance like this because they went to a small school."

Most satisfying to Cole isn't the hardware the band brings home from competitions, it's what the program has meant for his students.

"The program has developed a wide range of opportunities for the students," he said. "Just seeing them take advantage of those, that's what really satisfying to me."

And because of that, several Cloverdale music students have recently gone on to continue with band in college at DePauw, ISU, Purdue, IU and Ball State.

"They all have had Cloverdale students participating in their music programs over the past few years," Cole said proudly. "That's what's been fun."