An inside look at the pep band at West Hartford’s Hall High School.

By Hadley Smith

The crowd of students and players alike roared as Hall scored another touchdown. But none had a louder roar than that of the Hall High School pep band.

The Hall football team has been having an accomplished season, with students cramming into the stadium for almost every game. The biggest crowd to show up, though, has been Hall’s pep band. Known for their magnifying volume – reportedly heard by all neighborhoods within a 3-mile radius of Hall – the pep band illuminates the intensity of the football games and shines light on the increasing school spirit at Hall.

Students have often remarked that the pep band has increased the accessibility of the games and the enthusiasm around them. A Hall senior standing on the top of the bleachers conveyed his gratitude towards the band: “When I was a freshman, the games without the pep band were kind of desolate. … Not a lot of people showed up, there wasn’t a lot of school spirit, and honestly, the atmosphere just didn’t feel the same. … Now people come even if the games are on a Thursday night –  it’s like a tradition, hearing our football team’s theme as they roll out onto the field.”

But what is the pep band?

Director of the Hall High Band, Phil Giampietro, describes the pep band as the part of the foundation for the spirit of the game. Many students alike can agree that they make the football games “feel like a high school musical movie,” playing themes from classic movies and rock ‘n’ roll hits as their football team advances. With a booklet of music (perhaps thicker than the booklet for plays in the game), Mr. Giampietro calls out songs, the pep band blasting their support. They are, essentially, the entirety of Hall’s band program on the side of the field, playing music to hype up the bleachers of both the attendees and players.

“It feels like we have a permanent fanbase with these guys. They never seem to miss a moment,” expressed a Hall defender at halftime.

Before the games, the band makes sure to set up their front-row seats so that their cheers, chants, and melodies are simultaneously crystal-clear to all the stadium. They spend weeks beforehand learning new songs for these games and even rehearse right before them to make sure the playlist is in tip-top condition. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to capture the entirety of the band’s vibrancy through the mark-ups on the game’s summary. More often than not, those who don’t attend the games aren’t aware that the pep band even exists.

“If I had to improve one thing about our pep band,” said Mr. Giampietro, “it’d be having more representation outside of just these games – those kids deserve it.” Musicians in the band have varying opinions on the subject; some have suggested that they’re there to ensure the football game has its energy while others argue that it’s simply a night of fun with friends.

How can we, as a community, recognize these kinds of pillars of support for the sports teams of West Hartford? It can start with a “thank you” to these pep bands. It can start with attending games to cheer on the teams, or volunteering to help out at sports events across town. It can even start with inviting a friend who wants to support their team, but doesn’t have an “invitation.”

If there’s one thing the pep band truly represents, it’s that support comes in many forms, no matter how they look, cheer, or sound.

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