We proudly present the spirit of Glendale High: Diya Singh! 

Diya is a senior at Glendale High School and the current drum major of the GHS marching band. Before being named drum major, she held the position of woodwind captain during her junior year and played the saxophone. 

Diya has also been a part of WE Club and is the current president of the Tri-M Music Honors Society. Outside of school, she is part of the Glendale Youth Symphony and enjoys playing the piano, hanging out with friends, and coloring. 

How did you first get into music?

I started piano when I was really little, and it just kind of stuck with me, and I really liked taking lessons. Then I started playing saxophone in fourth grade, and I just stuck with that. And then I tried out tenor saxophone my freshman year, so I really liked that and I stuck with it.

Is there anyone who has significantly inspired you musically?

Last year’s drum major, Hajime Araki, has helped me so much. We were in our symphony outside of school together. He has helped me improve my musicality [and] my skills. He has just made me improve as a person and as a leader. I couldn’t have been drum major without him; he’s my inspiration.

What is a drum major, and why is it important?

The drum major is the person who leads the marching band. We’re the conductor. We run rehearsals. We plan out the music. We’re very close with the band director, and basically we pull things together and we make it happen. It’s important to the band, because that’s your leader. You need someone to follow, and that’s the person you look to.

Did you ever expect to be a drum major?

I did not. My freshman year was online, which was…weird. My sophomore year, I was just a member [of the marching band]. My junior year I was woodwind captain, and I didn’t realize I wanted to audition to be drum major until auditions actually started happening. Because I looked around and I was like, “Oh, I have a chance. I could try to do that.” But I never expected that I would.

What is your favorite part of marching band?

I really love [going to] competitions, seeing other bands perform, talking to other people, [and] seeing how they run stuff. I like to compare, see how we do stuff versus how they do stuff. And then it’s also just fun to be with your friends, and it’s a good experience.

What are competitions like for the band?

You get to the competition site, we have our warm-ups, we have our uniforms, and we usually play through our show beforehand. When we go to perform, it’s stressful, but you put in your all. You put in your effort, and you do your best. Once you perform, you basically get to relax. You can get some food and socialize with the other bands and watch them perform. 

They do awards after all the bands perform and you can see what you did well [and] what you need to improve on. The judges give us notes and take recordings on what you need to improve on, and it’s just a really fun experience.

What are you most excited for this year?

I’m so excited to finish our show, and…perform it at our last competition. I wanna see how our members are gonna grow. I wanna see how well we’re gonna perform it [and] what speed we’re gonna do it at. I’m excited to see choreography from our color guard, [and] I’m excited to have…tents and props and everything, and just having…our full show.

What are your plans for the future and college?

I don’t know what I want to major in. I don’t know what type of job I want, [but] I’m starting my college application process right now. I want to apply to some UCs, some Cal States. Hopefully I stay local, [because] I want to stay in this area. 

Do you have anything you’d like to say to the band?

I’m so proud of all of you guys! I love you guys. You guys have put in so much effort. I love that you’re so invested in [marching] band, and I’m so glad I got to work with you.

If you are interested in joining any of the music programs, please contact Ms. Amy Rangel at [email protected], and you can follow our marching band on Instagram: @glendalehighmarchingband.