TORRINGTON – Kappa Kappa Psi, a national honorary band fraternity, celebrates music year-round. But in November, the organization encourages members to reach out and share their love of music with others.
Tim McFarland, Torrington resident and Kappa Kappa Psi alum (University of Wyoming chapter: Alpha Nu), first became interested in playing a musical instrument more than two decades ago as a fifth grader here.
“In fifth grade, we (played) the recorder, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is kind of fun,’” McFarland recalled. “In sixth-grade band, I tried out for trumpet and clarinet, and clarinet is what stuck.”
As fate would have it, the summer before his sixth-grade year, McFarland discovered a clarinet for $45 at a garage sale while visiting his aunt in Lincoln, Neb. – student models currently cost around $400, and professional clarinets are often more than $1,000.
“I’m still playing on it today,” he said.
McFarland continued his participation in local band through eighth grade at Torrington Middle School, before moving to Cheyenne and attending high school there.
“I played in the Central High Marching Band, which is where I got my marching band start, then went on to UW and performed in the Western Thunder Marching Band – now I play in the Eastern Wyoming College and Community Bands,” he said.
Throughout the years, McFarland has experienced several highlights tied to his band career.
“In high school, our Cheyenne Central football team had a game at Casper Natrona, which happened to be the dedication of Cheney Alumni Field,” he said. “Vice President (Dick) Cheney was in attendance, and our band was invited to the game to play. Before we were allowed to get off the bus, a bomb dog searched the bus, and as we exited, we had to blow into our instruments in front of security to ensure no knives and such were inside. Not everyone can say they have played for the Vice President of the United States.”
In addition, McFarland traveled with the Central High concert band to Orlando, Fla. and performed in a concert at Disney World as part of Magic Music Days.
“We actually had a workshop with a Disney musician and recorded a soundtrack to a Disney movie,” he said.
At UW, the Western Thunder Marching Band played at the state quarter dedication.
“It was quite the event, having a 150-piece band in the Cheyenne Civic Center,” McFarland said.
It was also at the university that he was accepted into Kappa Kappa Psi a little more than a decade ago.
“Along with (Kappa Kappa Psi) being featured in (the movie), “Drumline”, we are the only fraternity to our knowledge that has been to the moon,” McFarland said. “Neil Armstrong, an alum of his university’s Kappa chapter, is said to have taken his active pin with him to the moon.
“It is a network, so if I was traveling across country and needed a couch to crash on, I can just ask a Kappa Kappa Psi member – I don’t even have to know them,” he continued. “I’ve kept in touch, mainly with the UW brothers. We get together occasionally – I went to California to film one of their brother’s weddings.”
Now, McFarland is back in Goshen County and deeply involved in the local music scene.
“Torrington and eastern Wyoming are fortunate to have wonderful band programs in the area, ranging from the public schools, to college/community, and fantastic directors,” he said. “I would be missing out if I didn’t mention the band directors I’ve had over the years ... Cathy Edelman Moore and Rick Moore at TMS, Ron Poelma at Cheyenne McCormick, Kevin Madigan at Central, Brent McCabe at EWC, Chris Nicholas at UW, Mike DeMers at EWC, and currently Gary Glass, Richard Zigweid, Aaron Bahmer, Gary DeBolt, and Nathan Beutler. All of these individuals have been very instrumental – pun intended – in my band career.”
Whether it’s EWC community band’s several concerts throughout the school year, or the summer community band’s big show during the Goshen County Fair parade – McFarland said the productions are what he looks forward to most.
“The culmination of all the rehearsals that are … intense at times, and giving the community the gift of music,” he said, adding he practices about three times a week, not including a scheduled rehearsal every Monday at 6 p.m. at EWC. “It’s just very rewarding, relaxing – music can be intense, emotional. Also there’s scholarship money available, so many students get in band in middle school, for example, and drop out and don’t experience the thrill … and that old trumpet ends up in the closet collecting dust. I advise people to stick with it.”
And stick with it, he has. McFarland estimates there have been just three years since 1996 when he hasn’t performed, solely due to the fact that an ensemble wasn’t in place.
“It’s a lifelong hobby,” he said. “I’m still not the best musician in the band – I have to work at it, and I love it.”
