The sharp crack of a drum line, the flash of brass in the sun and the surge of sound across the stadium – that’s the moment Samantha Bursaw lives for.
A junior from Ravenna, Bursaw is one of two drum majors leading the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Pride of the Plains Marching Band this season. Standing atop the podium, she sets the tempo and unites more than 70 band members in front of thousands of fans.
“I was a drum major in high school, so it’s very rewarding to be one again in college,” she said. “Performing for football games and parades is something I enjoy because we are able to feed off the crowd’s energy while also influencing them. Our performances contain so many fast-paced, high-energy, ‘show-them-what-we-got’ moments.”
This fall, the Pride of the Plains is embracing the iconic “James Bond/007” franchise for its show theme. The performance features a mix of cinematic classics, including the “James Bond Theme,” “Skyfall,” “Live and Let Die,” “No Time to Die” and “You Know My Name.”
“I’m very excited for the theme this year,” Bursaw said. “The songs are a really cool mix of slower and fast-paced pieces. We’re also introducing some elements that I haven’t seen from previous years, so it will be really fun.”
Music has been a constant in Bursaw’s life since she picked up her first recorder in fourth grade. Over the years, she’s learned to play the French horn, trumpet, baritone and several other instruments. At UNK, she performs with the Wind Ensemble and Kearney Symphony Orchestra in addition to the marching band.
“Music is an amazing way to amplify the everyday,” she said. “It allows me to exist in the moment and appreciate it, as well as feel through emotions.”
Bursaw is studying chemistry and molecular biology, and she participates in the Honors Program, Undergraduate Research Fellows and IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence, better known as INBRE. After graduation, she plans to pursue a doctorate in pharmacology or immunology.
For now, though, she’s right where she wants to be – leading the Lopers in song.
PHOTOS BY ERIKA PRITCHARD, UNK COMMUNICATIONS
