The Fight Song with countermelody
by Jean Martin
In keeping with our post Homecoming theme we give you the SJHS Fight Song as it was arranged by Frank Jilka all those years ago.
The low brass countermelody is Frank’s, and it has been adapted and at least until recently it was still played by at least one high school band in the mid-Michigan area. Imagine our surprise a few years ago during a parade in Frankenmuth when we heard an area band marching down the street playing the tune, complete with countermelody. The melody is the traditional Washington and Lee Swing.
A couple of years ago Frank and his son, Greg, sat down and recreated his original arrangement from memory.
This comes to us from his family and friends who celebrated his life last week in Sebastopol, CA. Near the end of the video on the far right people of a certain age may recognize Marilynn Henry Tonolin on clarinet.