Boyer to lead Marching Pioneers

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When the Olentangy Orange High School Marching Pioneers step onto the field for the first time this season, the band will do so under the direction of Joshua Boyer, who became the band’s new director last month.

Boyer was announced as the successor to Dr. Ishbah Cox, the band’s previous director for six years, after Cox accepted a position as the director of wind ensembles at Capital University earlier this year.

Boyer served as the assistant band director at Wayne High School in Huber Heights for three years and has been the full-time assistant director of bands at Ohio University since 2014. He said he actually applied for the band director position at Orange right after he completed his undergraduate degree at Ohio University in 2008, when Olentangy Orange first opened, but he was not selected for the job.

“That was a job I really wanted,” Boyer said Friday. “Marching band has always been a passion of mine.”

He said because his friendships with previous directors of the band, he has actually already written several shows for the Marching Pioneers.

“This is a job that’s a really great program and great opportunity,” Boyer said. “I wanted to be in that position because of the quality of the program, (and) the quality of the support from the community and administrators. … Orange had all those boxes checked.”

Boyer said it was a “really easy” decision to accept the position when he was offered the job, and he’s eager for his first season at the helm to get underway.

“(I’m) looking forward to continuing the traditions they have there,” Boyer said. “It’s such a well respected part of the program and the school. It’s something you don’t see all the time.”

Boyer said his background is in show bands and halftime entertainment, and he plans to continue the band’s appearances at festivals, parades and Friday Night Live.

“I’m excited to be a part of that continuation,” Boyer said. “You might see new and creative things, but overall, you’re going to see a lot of continuation of what they’ve been doing. … I hope people feel comfortable with the change of leadership. I’ll be relying on the team that’s there already to support the program. (Orange has) a great team of support staff that helps create the magic there.”

Boyer added he and his family are excited to be “part of the Orange family,” and he comes from West Unity, Ohio, a community smaller than Orange High School on its own.

“The sky is the limit for this program,” Boyer said. “They are doing great things already, and I think they can continue to do really incredible things down the road. I’m really excited to be part of that team and continue what they have going on. … There’s not going to be a massive change. (I will be) continuing what they have going on.”

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903 or on Twitter @BattishillDG.

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