Dover High School Class of 1980 Alumni Page 
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DOVER — It’s a balmy October evening, and a skeleton crew of musicians gets ready for a night of rehearsal in Dover High School’s band room. They play a few scales and then jump into a version of John Philip Sousa’s “Washington Post March.” In another room a pom squad practices its kicks and waves off fluffy blue and white pom-poms to the beat of the marches. Many people in the group haven’t picked up a trumpet, trombone or drumstick in years. But for Dover High alumni, it’s all about school spirit. On Friday, more than 100 Dover High band members and Dover alumni will play and march together for the high school’s homecoming parade and football game halftime show. The combined performance has become a tradition. Every few years alumni and students give a combined homecoming performance with alumni from far and near participating. This year alumni will represent 15 to 20 states, said former longtime Dover High band director Ron Shomo. “I’ve been to all of them,” said Andy Siegel, tuning his trumpet before rehearsal. Mr. Siegel and his family have returned to live in Dover since his retirement from the U.S. Navy, but he’s traveled from as far away as Hawaii and Connecticut to play in the alumni band. “It’s one of those things you can’t miss,” Mr. Siegel said. His wife, Velvet, also will perform with the pom squad. This year is drummer Richard Harpster’s first time with the alumni band. “And I’m rusty,” the Bear resident said. Mr. Harpster attended Dover High from 1984 to 1985, before he transferred to a private school from which he graduated in 1987. “Band was always a big deal for me,” he said of why he decided to join the alumni band. The Dover native said he grew up near Dover High and used to watch band practices. The tradition started before former Dover band teacher John Rinker retired. “It’s kind of interesting,” Mr. Rinker said. A few local alumni practice at the high school, but out-of-state alumni practice at home on music mailed to them. “Which is kind of scary because you don’t know what you’re going to get,” Mr. Rinker said. The rehearsal switches to Edwin Bagley’s “National Emblem March.” Mr. Rinker instructs the trumpets to watch the F-sharp. The session was a vigorous one for Mr. Rinker, he said. “I only know one speed and that’s full throttle.” Rehearsals for the alumni who can make it to the practices include playing inside the band room for part of the practice and marching on the field in the dark. Dover resident Cindy Christiansen, class of 1975 and a member of the band color guard, said marching at night is fairly easy. One thing to do, she said, is make sure you watch front, right and left. “And you listen,” she said of instructions the drum majors give from their whistles. At the halftime show, alumni will enter the playing field from the left side and students will enter from the right to play “Stars and Stripes Forever.” “It’s amazing how many mother-daughter, father-son (teams) play in the band,” Mr. Shomo said. Alumni and student participation includes couples and whole families, he said. This will be Mr. Shomo’s last year involved with the alumni band before Mr. Rinker takes full reins of the events. Mr. Rinker, a Smyrna High School graduate, student-taught band at the high school under Mr. Shomo in 1973 before he was hired as Central Middle School’s band director the same year. The beloved longtime band teacher has two grandchildren in Dover High, but he said he has other commitments, including his job as organist for Wyoming Methodist Church, to which he’d like to focus his attention. “It’s always a lot of fun,” Mr. Shomo said of the alumni events. “When they march down Loockerman Street they play well. We always had a good time. And band has always been important to people.” Staff writer Kate House-Layton
