Student Spotlight
From Newark to Ohio Stadium, Barr named 2018 Drum Major of TBDBITL
Video filmed on September 10, 2016 when Konner Barr led his first Script Ohio as Assistant Drum Major
NEWARK, OH, April 26, 2018 — It was more than three years ago that Konner Barr thought his lifelong dream was crushed. But now as he finishes his junior year of college, Barr has accomplished the one thing he set out to do when he applied to The Ohio State University. On Saturday, April 21, Barr was named the 2018 drum major of The Ohio State University Marching Band.
"I am so honored and humbled to be named the 62nd drum major of The Ohio State University Marching Band. This has been my dream for many years, and I am so grateful my hard work has paid off,” said Barr. “I am incredibly excited for the season to start!”
Barr will spend the first half of his senior year leading the band onto the field of Ohio Stadium on football Saturdays, doing backbends to raucous applause and guiding the famous “i”-dotter into place to end the formation of Script Ohio. It’s a role he’s been preparing for since the age of four and a chance he didn’t think he would get when he was deferred to Ohio State Newark for enrollment.
His initial heartbreak was assuaged when he discovered that he could attend Ohio State Newark and participate in the Ohio State Marching Band. That was the moment Barr decided he was going to be a Buckeye, and he was going to attend the Newark campus, he said.
“Attending Ohio State Newark was a great opportunity for me. It allowed me to achieve my dream and also allowed me to be a Buckeye, and that is something I am very grateful for.”
Barr attended classes in Newark and practiced with the band in Columbus during his first year. He was part of the D-Row, the drum major training squad. When tryouts for drum major came around that spring, Barr competed and was named the 2016 assistant drum major. He maintained his spot for the 2017 season.
In 2018 Barr will become part of the 140-year history of drum majors at Ohio State. He will uphold the many established traditions that the Ohio State drum major is known for: the pregame backbend, leading Script Ohio, showmanship and mace-work using the Gray Baton and the pregame goal post toss. It all starts about 20 minutes prior to kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 1 when the football team begins its season against Oregon State University.
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