Former Fremonter marching on after UNL

Does Nate Campbell march to the beat of a different drummer?

Well, actually, the former Fremonter hasn’t marched for years.

But as drumline instructor for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Campbell makes sure drummers stay in step.

This year will be Campbell’s last as the instructor. After this season, the 1997 Fremont High School graduate and his wife, Jamie, plan to move to North Carolina, where her family lives. There, Campbell said he intends to have a percussion studio and work with various schools, similar to what he already does here in Nebraska. He may even audition for a symphony.

The son of Fremonters Jim and Pat Campbell looks forward to new opportunities �” and pleasant weather.

“I can’t wait to move there. I’m a huge ocean and mountain lover and I’ll be two hours from each. It’s going to be a dream of mine to be right in the middle there,” he said.

It’s a long way from Nebraska where Campbell’s interest in music began.

He was 6 years old when he started playing the drums. His dad played drums in some Fremont area rock bands.

“He always had drumsticks and a drum set. I picked them up from what he was doing. I learned a lot from what he did,” he said.

Campbell, now 29, was a music major at the UNL, where he graduated in 2002.

“I played the snare drum on the drumline for those five years and as soon as I graduated the drumline instructor was promoted to director of the marching band and he hired me as drumline instructor,” he said.

The marching band has 290 members. The percussion section alone, which ranges from 35 to 39 members each year, is comprised of a 12-member pit, with instruments such as xylophones, bells and keyboard percussion. The remaining members are the drumline on the field. That number usually includes eight snare drums, four tenors, five basses and eight cymbals.

This year marks Campbell’s seventh season as drumline instructor.

Seasons start in mid-August with 1 1/2 weeks of band camp. The first three days of that are set aside for drumline auditions.

And whether they’re a freshman or current drumline member, students must audition each year. It’s a three-day process and not every student makes it.

“It’s pretty heartbreaking for some of the students,” he said.

It’s tough on Campbell, too, especially if he’s worked with the students for a long time -- or they’re students he knows from high school honor bands or special clinics he does outside UNL.

“It’s the biggest, bittersweet day of the year,” he said.

On the other hand, it’s also the start of a new year.

“And it’s a really cool thing to set the drumline for the upcoming year,” he said.

Next comes the weeklong band camp, where days stretch from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. During these long days, students learn the fundamentals of marching and playing. They learn a host of other things, too, like the pre-game show music and the first halftime show.

“We do a new halftime show for each home game. This year, we had eight home games,” he said.

After band camp, drumline rehearsals take place from 7-9 a.m. each weekday with extra rehearsals for two hours every Wednesday night.

Students are at the stadium six hours before a home game. They rehearse for two hours, take a break and then 1 1/2 hours before the game dress in uniform and play outside the music building. A few hundred people come to hear the band before students march the three blocks to the stadium.

The full band also performs during one away game a year. A pep band of about 60 members attends other away games; seniority rules when students sign up for the various away games.

“So seniors get to go to the good games and the other guys go to the not-so-fun games,” he said.

The last home game was Friday, but a Dec. 12 concert is planned.

“We’ll play all of the eight shows we’ve learned during the year,” he said.

Admission will be charged for the concert which starts at 7:30 p.m. in Lincoln’s Pershing Auditorium.

The entire band also will go to the bowl game.

Campbell’s job ends Jan. 1.

He’ll miss his home state, the drumline and the camaraderie among students.

“Living in Nebraska and having my roots here, I’m sure I’m going to miss it. ... I’ve been around the university drumline for about 12 years. I’m sure it will be a little bit different experience,” he said.

Campbell appreciates the opportunities he’s had.

“I haven’t taken it for granted,” he said. “As soon as I step onto the field, I look around the stadium and take in the whole stadium and the whole atmosphere and I’ve felt really fortunate, because not a whole lot of people get the opportunity to get that experience, especially for as long as I’ve been able to do it.

“Just to step foot on that field every morning.”