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As he helps prepare the Cornhusker Marching Band for a home football game, Tanner Maas feels like he’s finally hitting his stride as a leader.
“The first couple of years can feel so overwhelming and all you can focus on is making it through,” Maas, a senior actuarial science major, said. “As I've gotten older and segued into a leadership role, I’ve started to relax and focus on how I can help everyone be at their best.”
Now in his second year as a drum major, Maas has come a long way from barely staying afloat early in his band career.
As a drum major, his responsibilities include conducting the band through performances, communicating with other band leaders during athletic events to decide what to play and when, scheduling and setting up rehearsals and, of course, wielding the mace.
“We learn a new show for every home game, so that's seven shows a year that we’re learning with an extremely fast turnaround,” he said.
During the alumni reunion Sept. 13, Maas and his fellow band members had the chance to play alongside marching band alums from years (and decades) past, appreciating the lifelong community that comes with being part of the “Pride of All Nebraska.”
“It's a really meaningful experience,” Maas said. "So many of our traditions have stayed alive through all these years and it’s really an honor to share them across all these generations.”
Maturing into a leader has afforded Maas some unique opportunities off the field, as well. This past year, Tanner was asked to contribute to Sheldon Art Museum’s Go Big Red exhibit as a co-curator, selecting a piece that he says symbolizes the impacts of the marching band.
“The piece I chose is called 'Milk Drop Coronet,' which looks like a milk drop making waves across water,” he explained. “To me, it relates to the literal sound waves that come from our music, but I also see it as a representation of the waves we’re making on game days. We’re inspiring fans, kids and all sorts of folks with our music, and you never know how far the impacts of those waves will reach.”
