The Grapevine: Breanna Starkey Talks about Being the Bridgeport High Band's Drum Major in Her Own Words

By Rosalyn Queen on November 13, 2025 from The Grapevine

Editor's Note: This week we have a guest writer submitting a story. When Blogger Rosalyn Queen was speaking with Breanna Starkey's mother Donna, she learned that Breanna liked to write and at the time venturing into a new part of her life as the Bridgeport High School Band's drum major. Queen asked if she would like to submit a column and here is her story. Photos are by Joe LaRocca.

By Breanna Starkey

BEING THE DRUM MAJOR

Anyone who has held any form of a relationship with me within the past six years or so was familiar with my favorite thing to dream about.
 
I conducted a band for the first time in sixth grade. My teacher taught us how to do a basic 4/4 pattern and allowed us to take turns doing so. I took the opportunity. I don’t remember much else from this moment, just that I knew that being a leader was something I now wanted. My first day of high school band camp showed me that attaining the role of drum major was not going to be as easy as I thought. I didn’t feel like I belonged for most of that camp. However, once school started, I made some friends. Band was now something that I looked forward to. I fell in love with the new image of music that high school band had given me.
 
I tried out for drum major every year. By the time I was a rising junior, I’d become a section leader. My junior year is where I credit my love of being part of a high school band, in most ways. I spent most of my time that fall working towards becoming the best I could be. By May, I’d prepared myself for my final audition the best I knew how (which worked out, I think). I earned the role.
 
Wanting these kinds of things is half of the battle. The other half is doing the thing. With this role, I have developed a different version of myself. Power yields responsibility. Learning to be conscious of my actions and surroundings one hundred percent of the time was a struggle, for me. With each passing week, I became increasingly in tune with what this role required for me.
 
Being the drum major, to me, means putting your own thoughts and wishes aside for something that is bigger than you. Sure, a lot of the time, I was exhausted. Any given free moment, I was perfecting my field show. When I first started out, I frequently video chatted with my friends to show them my progress. I’m sure that they were tired of hearing the same three songs, but it still meant the world to me that they let me prepare myself in that way. I also used to make my mother watch me march backwards down our street (for competition, drum majors are expected to conduct during parade).
 
It is easy to assume that the amount of work that goes into this job is overwhelming. However, who am I to complain? I went in with the expectation that my schedule would look the way that it does. I used to long for the life that I am now living. Being the drum major has been the greatest honor yet.
 
I wouldn’t be who I am today without this role, but more so the band members that made this job worthwhile. I love my band. I’ve been asked many times what the most rewarding aspect of my job is, and I always answer, “seeing my band grow and progress throughout the season.” They put in the work expected from them. They showed up and did their best. I am infinitely proud of each of them. Winning Autumn Glory was the best end to my high school band experience I could’ve ever dreamed of. The blue sky is truly the limit for this band.
 
The Bridgeport Band has been my home for the past four years. I extend my greatest gratitude to all the people that I’ve performed with, my mentors, my friends and family, and to those who’ve supported me throughout the entire journey.

Editor's Note II (from Rosalyn Queen): Breanna's parents are Donna and Adam Starkey. Her grandparents are the late Ruth Ann Townsend Starkey and the late Joe Bob Starkey. Joe and Ruth Ann and I were friends from grade School. We continued this friendship throughout our adult life. As I watch Breanna perform I think of how proud her grandparents would be. The next time you have the opportunity to see the BHS Band perform, look at that Drum Major and remember her story in her own words. She plans on attending college after graduation this Spring. Take care, enjoy the fall weather as you. Prepare for the holidays and until next week “Now You Have Heard It Through The Grapevine.”


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