When Paul Murr, Lancaster Catholic High School (LCHS) marching band director, and his staff choose a fall show, they know the program will have a certain type of theme. "We always choose something religious because that's what the school is and the message (should be)," said Murr. This year's show, "The Promise of Living," will focus on the early days of the Old Testament, touching on the story of Noah and the covenant.

The first song, "The Promise of Living" by Aaron Copland, opens with a mellophone solo by River Olmsted, while the spotlight is on Emma Townshend performing a color guard solo with a 6-foot flag. The song builds into "Dies Irae" by Giuseppe Verdi. "(The title) means 'death march,'" said Lydia Fuhrman, band vice president, who added, "It's a contrast to the first piece."

The third song is "Rainbow Connection," written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher and made famous by Kermit the Frog. According to band president Annabelle Kiefer, while the second movement represents the storm and Noah's ark, the third pays homage to God's promise as symbolized by the rainbow representing hope for the future. Nicolletta Kiefer performs a color guard solo in "Rainbow Connection," accompanied by a tenor sax solo. The song will also features an alto saxophone solo by Sam Parrish. The show concludes with "Appalachian Morning" by Paul Halley. Alix Maumus is the featured twirler.

During camp, which was held from Aug. 8 through 12 at the school, more than 40 band members, including color guards, braved the warm temperatures while working to learn the music and the drill. One particular challenge was the unusual and uneven steps on the final song.

To keep morale up, theme days were held. Monday was class color day, and Tuesday was beach day, when the students dressed in Hawaiian shirts and other beach attire. Wednesday was crazy hat and sock day. One student actually wore a banana costume for part of the day. Thursday was NASA day, and Friday was section theme day, where each section was encouraged to choose a theme and dress accordingly. In addition, students took time out to play kickball and have fun with water balloons.