Irish eyes: Hollidaysburg alumni headed to Ireland for Notre Dame game
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When Notre Dame goes up against Navy in Dublin, Ireland, on Saturday, two Blair Countians will be cheering on the Fighting Irish from the sidelines as members of the university's marching band.
It's taken a lot of time, work and dedication to get the opportunity to play with the band, but Hollidaysburg Area High School graduates Maria Murphy and Madeline Waibel said the experiences they're having can't be beat.
Murphy, a 2019 HAHS graduate, has been playing the mellophone since elementary school and joined the university band to continue her passion and open up new opportunities for herself.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit while she was a freshman in 2020, Murphy said, but she and her classmates were lucky because they were able to continue in-person classes.
Those in-person classes included the band, which provided an opportunity to get to know others.
"I wanted to get involved during this time and (the band) is such a big community and it was a good way to get involved and make new friends," she said.
Murphy, a senior mathematics and computational statistics major, admits many people don't know much about her instrument, the mellophone, which looks like a big trumpet, but she's been playing it for years.
"In the concert band, I played the French horn, but you can't march with that," she said. "They gave me a mellophone and told me to try it, so I have been playing both since fifth grade."
During her time at HAHS, Murphy stayed involved by joining in different activities.
"I had a really good experience at Hollidaysburg," she said. "My parents both taught there, and so I was very involved academically. I was in band, and I also ran cross country and played softball. I tried to make the most of my high school experience."
Now at Notre Dame, Murphy is continuing to take advantage of as many opportunities as possible, much the same as Waibel, who was still a student at HAHS when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Once the pandemic restrictions were lifted, Waibel worked to become more involved in school, joining the marching and concert bands.
"I also played tennis," she said. "During my senior year, when COVID kind of cleared up, I joined many clubs and became more involved."
She became president of the student council and the National Honor Society in high school. Now a sophomore at St. Mary's College, Waibel looks for opportunities to be actively involved in campus life.
Music brings joy
Despite going to different colleges, the two are part of the tri-campus that comprises Notre Dame University, St. Mary's College and Holy Cross College.
These three schools share the same classes, clubs, sports and music programs -- including the famed Notre Dame marching band.
Because of their involvement with the band in high school, both Murphy and Waibel knew they wanted to continue playing music.
For Waibel, who has been pursuing the tenor saxophone since she was 10 years old, music is a comfort.
"I've always loved band, and it has always felt like a second home to me," Waibel said. "I wanted to be able to have that second home in college, away from my first home. I love the environment and making so many friends. Being in the Notre Dame band was actually on my bucket list."
Being in the marching band is a larger commitment than most people would think. With practice five days a week, band members must be dedicated.
"You have to be pretty committed if you want to be in the band," Waibel said. "I went into college thinking I was going to do as many clubs as I did in high school. But band basically was the time commitment of all the clubs I did in high school."
Even through the hours of practice during the week, all day commitments to football games and other performances, the two find joy in what they do.
"It's very cool putting so much work into something and having everyone see it on game day," Murphy said. "You're just in the middle of the stadium performing and everyone's looking at you, and it feels super cool to be contributing to something like that.
"I love hanging out with my friends and going into band practice and having 56 new friends. I like being able to do so many fun and exciting things with those people," she said.
Game day plans
On Saturday, the Notre Dame marching band will perform in Dublin during the game.
It's a thrill for all the team members, including band director Ken Dye, who appreciates the local students' contributions.
"I like working with the students and teaching them to enjoy music and give them a community to make friends," Dye said.
He credits the band's success to returning band members who lead by example, teach new members how to be part of the band and help them adjust to college life.
"The student leadership is exemplary," he said, adding the trip to Ireland required students to prepare quickly to perform overseas.
"The travel logistics are rather involved, but we will be ready," Dye said.
Scott Sheehan, director of bands and music department chair at Hollidaysburg Area, said the district is "very proud of Madeline and Maria for earning their spots in the Notre Dame Marching Band."
He said their accomplishments are a testament to their dedication and hard work.
"Both of them were outstanding musicians and leaders when they were in high school, and I have no doubt they're continuing to add to the tradition of excellence in the Fighting Irish Band," he said.
As for Murphy and Waibel, the two are looking forward to the trip and the experience.
"On Youtube videos and on TikTok, you look at how impressive the Notre Dame football players are," Waibel said. "But I look at the band, our band, and it's just awesome to see all of our hard work coming together."