Three thousand people cram into Jake Maberry Gymnasium for the annual rivalry matchup against Lynden Christian, and the creaky bleachers shake — not from the crowd’s excitement, but from the thunder of tom drums and the layered trombone chords of Lynden’s pep band.
Maybe it’s hits from Chappell Roan or Travis Scott, maybe it’s an old stadium classic, but the group laces every moment of downtime with a soundtrack that elevates the event beyond that of just a high school basketball game.
Lynden High School’s pep band has evolved into one of the top sideline programs in the state, and that’s by no accident.
The now 80-member group has been handcrafted by director Trevor Galligan, who built up the group literally note by note, in his words.
“The kids will come to me with something like, ‘Hey, this album just dropped. This song is awesome,’” Galligan said. “I’m like, ‘That’s not a thing yet.’ But then that night, I’ll sit down and chunk it out and make it for them.”
When Galligan arrived at Lynden in 2018, he said he inherited a “small, but quality” band program of about 55 students from former director Steve Herrick, who had held the baton for 44 years.
Growing the program was one of his top priorities from day one. Similar to sports feeder programs, Galligan makes an effort to connect with the Lynden Middle School band, including collaborative concerts between the two levels.
Outside of raising the roof of the Jake, the Lynden band program boasts a handful of other renowned groups, and many see a lot of crossover in members (80 of the 140 students enrolled in band classes are also in pep band).
The wind ensemble, the school’s top performance band (think marches, ballads and the likes) earned its 30th straight “superior” rating at the San Juan Music Educators Association Large Group Festival in March 2024 and is looking to make it 31 at this year’s competition.
Throughout his path to Lynden, Galligan has found it vital for directors to pour as much as they can into their programs to make it successful and retain students.
“I’m OK with that because that’s what I want it to be. And I think that’s where all this success in every avenue we have is — if the kids see me all in, then I can get them all in,” he said.
Senior trumpet player Ruby Smith has played in Lynden bands since sixth grade and has enjoyed learning and growing as a musician and student.
“It’s like a family,” she said. “We work so hard that I feel like some of our stuff is underrated, but we’re in that band room every day, getting it done.”
Percussion section leader Kenyah Lohman, who had “no musical talent” before joining the band her sophomore year, said even though band kids can get a bad rap, that stereotype has gone out the window at Lynden.
“People always ask, ‘Kenyah, is the band going to be there?’ and I go, ‘Yup,’ and they’re always like ‘Yes, I’m so excited,’” Lohman said.
Creating a strong program is any director’s goal, but Galligan sees how his efforts parlay into a bigger picture — as schools face funding issues, arts programs are typically the first to be terminated.
“I’m trying to create that culture with music that it would be obvious if it wasn’t there,” he said. “Let’s keep adding events and getting kids connected … with the band being a part of so many things, I’m almost making it hard to cut something like that.”
Galligan has built an ever-evolving catalog of more than 60 songs ready to fill any moment in a football or basketball game. Pieces range from one of the band’s favorites, “Cocoon,” a 2022 high-energy hip-hop piece by 070 Shake to “Narco,” a trumpet-heavy electronic anthem by DJ duo Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet. The latter, boys basketball coach Brian Roper said, is the team favorite.
“[The band] is a big part of what we do,” Roper said. “In a big game at home with the band, it’s super positive and our kids feed off of that.”
The feeling is mutual for Galligan and the band.
“There’s nothing like the band playing in a heated championship game when it’s neck and neck, then a timeout is called and we add to the noise and energy,” he said.
With the quality sports programs at Lynden, the band gets to travel for the postseason, perhaps most notably to the Yakima SunDome for those basketball state championships. Galligan enjoys it most of all, he said, for the opportunity to share the students’ talents beyond the Lynden community.
Galligan also designed the digital music production and music theory courses at Lynden to make music accessible to students who may be too far behind to learn an instrument to play in the band but still want to be involved.
While Lynden may be best known for its outstanding history of athletics, Roper said it doesn’t have to be sports that connect a high school community.
“It can be band, it can be drama, [Future Farmers of America], just a place where young people can get involved,” he said. “And [Galligan] has really fostered that atmosphere where I think kids are not only learning lessons but creating lifelong friendships.”
Finn Wendt is a CDN visual journalist; reach him at finnwendt@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 122.
