By By NORMA LERNER / Edwardsburg Argus
EDWARDSBURG - "It's really cool … an experience of a lifetime," said Anna Robinson, 18, who is a freshman at Michigan State University and a member of its marching band of 300 players.
The band performed Friday night during halftime at the Edwardsburg football game and then again at halftime on Saturday at the Notre Dame-Michigan State University game.
Anna was excited to put on her uniform and hat just right, as once it was on she couldn't take it off. Anna, who plays a trumpet, said the band has already performed twice during home games at East Lansing. "It's so exciting to come out of the tunnel on game day. The people cheer. It's cool to meet band members from all different areas of Michigan and some from out of state. It will be awesome to play at Notre Dame," she said Friday.
The band played during halftime at the game and played a duet with Notre Dame on Saturday as a tribute to Hurricane Katrina victims, "You will Never Walk Alone."
The band members stayed at host homes throughout Cass County and played at the Edwardsburg field through a connection of John Madden, director of the Spartan marching band and Brian Wood at the Lewis Cass Intermediate School District. The band also held a clinic at Dowagiac Union High School where they performed for Cass County's four high schools and high schools from Berrien County.
Anna graduated from Mona Shores High School in Muskegan and is following in her mother's footsteps in the nursing program at MSU. Her mother, Shannon (Knispel) Robinson, graduated from Edwardsburg High School in 1973 and MSU in 1978 in nursing. Anna's brother, Korey, also played trumpet at MSU until last year when he graduated.