No high school is complete without a band. Live music to electrify football games, pep rallies, and the occasional basketball game. The North Atlanta band is filled with the most exceptional players of the school and with so much excellence in one room, there must be someone to lead them all. That someone is sophomore Eva Shade, the official drum major of the NAHS band.
Shade aids the band director by conducting the band through each set of music with timing and musical cues. The drum major also adds flair to each performance with dances to keep the energy high. Unlike most band kids, Shade never took a band class in middle school and first learned to play her older sister’s hand-me-down instrument, the clarinet, at North Atlanta Band Camp. Shade practiced with her clarinet daily, determined to grow her abilities and her effort never went unnoticed as the band director, Adam Brooks, took note of her immediate dedication. Even before the application went out, Brooks knew that she would be the one to take the role. “Eva has been unapologetic about getting better, is always a problem solver, and always leads by example,” he said. “It was really a no-brainer.”
No position as important as drum major is given without training. Shade received a majority of her training from former Drum Major Dylan Walker, as well as a 2018 graduate of North Atlanta, Emmett Galloway. The pair served as the core of her training with conditioning and conducting, using their own experiences to guide instruction. They took her dedication one step further and used it to motivate her training as the newest drum major. The balance between both trainers, Walker as a friend and Galloway as a coach, gave Shade the best of both worlds and set her up for success. “The different dynamics I had with each other them helped balance each other out,” she said.
Most of the drum majors that came before Shade began the role as upperclassmen, making her sophomore debut even more impressive. She takes after her sister, a class of 2021 graduate, Beau Shade, in becoming a sophomore drum major. Despite the slight imbalance of power between the upperclassmen, Shade strives to be the best leader by being the person members can confide in. Her position entails being a leader that the band can depend on. McKenzie Harris is a junior and part of the North Atlanta band. Harris has noticed that Shade has given the band a fresh perspective due to her energy and passion. “It’s a team and she’s the captain working all of us towards the same goal,” she said.
Since Shade rose up early as an underclassman, she will be with the band for the next three years. She will continue to grow and learn how to be the best leader she can be, utilizing the same passion and determination she has held since day one of band camp. The next time you are at a football game or a pep rally know that it all comes together through the hard work and leadership of Drum Major Eva Shade.
Clint Shade • Dec 5, 2023 at 5:02 pm
Proud Dad here!