“Approachable, passionate and dedicated,” were the three words that trumpet player Drew McElroy ‘25 used to describe Michael Bloom ‘25.
“I think the biggest thing with Michael is just work ethic. He just doesn’t stop, he just goes,” Director of Athletic Bands Nathan Gay said.
Bloom is a music education major and is one of two drum majors this season for Mercer’s marching band. Senior year for a music education student is very busy, they have to balance student teaching, preparing for their senior recital and filling out job applications on top of their normal responsibilities, Gay said, adding that despite his busy schedule, Bloom is able to balance his personal life and leading the band.
While Bloom is a leader on the practice field and in Five Star Stadium, he is also a student, a peer to members of the band in the classroom. He said that he recognizes being in a position of power doesn’t make the people looking up to him any less valuable.
“It’s just finding that balance of, outside of this time, you’re my friend. I want you to talk to me and do that sort of thing, but within this time, I have to be a leader,” Bloom said. “I have to put my foot down and say, ‘We have to get things done.’”
“Everyone kind of knows what to expect with Michael. He’s getting ready to student-teach, so he’s almost a professional out in the field. That progression has just kind of kept going so that he’s made a lot of progress,” Gay said. He shared how Michael has been consistent in his leadership because of the opportunities he’s had to grow through the music education program and his experience being drum major last season.
He shared that since he is a music education major, he has learned various education tactics and likes to use positive reinforcement in his role with the marching band.
McElroy described how people in leadership positions can let the power go to their head but that he has learned the value of mutual respect from Bloom. “It can be kinda hard to find that quality in leaders at the college age sometimes, but I think that’s definitely something that people who are going to stay in this band after this season are really going to look up to and try to emulate,” the trumpet player, who has been in Mercer’s marching band since starting college, said.
What helps his leadership grow, Bloom said, is knowing the people around him. He said that he has tried to get to know people’s names and have conversations with them during breaks to maintain an overall positive attitude. “I wanted to make an impact in the band and push the culture of the band in the right direction. And I knew that one of the ways I was able to do that is by being a drum major,” Bloom said.
Throughout his time as drum major, Bloom said he has overcome self-doubt and questions of whether he could make a difference in the group. “But honestly, the thing that helped me overcome that was the band itself, showing me that what I’m doing does matter,” he said.
“You don’t have to be the perfect person to be a leader,” Bloom said, sharing that he has grown in his self confidence throughout his experience leading the band.
“Anyone can be a leader, anyone can be a drum major if you just really put your mind to it,” Bloom said.
Joslyn Hicks ‘29 is a Journalism major at Mercer University. She is excited for her first year as a staff writer for The Cluster. In her free time, you can find her reading a book or singing along to Taylor Swift songs.
