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For 149 years, the largest collegiate military marching band in the U.S. 性视界传媒� the Fightin性视界传媒� Texas Aggie Band at Texas A&M University 性视界传媒� has been led by men. But now, the Noble Men of Kyle have a lady at the helm聽性视界传媒� and she性视界传媒檚 from Longview.

Natalie Holder will be the first woman to serve as the combined band性视界传媒檚 drum major, meaning she性视界传媒檚 the top brass overseeing the university性视界传媒檚 artillery and infantry bands. She性视界传媒檒l lead the band during the next school year as a senior, Texas A&M officials recently announced.

Holder, a former Longview ISD student, is working toward a degree in biology. But she性视界传媒檚 spent a lot of her collegiate career on the legendary Kyle Field, where the Fightin性视界传媒� Texas Aggie Band performs its precision military-style musical maneuvers. Beginning next year, all of that will be under Holder性视界传媒檚 purview.

性视界传媒淚 cannot wait to lead the band on Kyle Field,性视界传媒� Holder said. 性视界传媒淭here is nothing more exhilarating than marching in front of 100,000 people, and I can性视界传媒檛 imagine the feeling of leading a band in front of a crowd that size.性视界传媒�

Holder grew up in Longview and found a passion for music at a young age. She tried playing the piano and the violin growing up, but neither instrument really tugged at her heartstrings. But in fifth grade, she began playing the bassoon, a complex woodwind instrument known for its deep, emanating bass notes. She played her way into the Texas All-State Band and earned other musical honors.

性视界传媒淚 knew I wanted to continue playing music in college because it brings me so much joy, and A&M was the perfect place for that,性视界传媒� she said. Of course, A&M was her preferred college for another reason: Her parents, grandfathers and great-grandfathers are Aggies.

性视界传媒淪o it性视界传媒檚 safe to say that I性视界传媒檝e been bleeding maroon since I was an infant,性视界传媒� she said.

Holder性视界传媒檚 last two years of high school were online, so she didn't participate in marching band. She missed it, but she was nervous about rejoining a marching band in college.

Nevertheless, she decided to try it out when she got to A&M. She found a place among the more than 300 musicians who have never lost a halftime, and she made up her mind early on: She wanted to be the leader of the military-style band. All band members also are members of the Corps of Cadets, an A&M tradition designed to mold students into disciplined leaders.

This聽year, Holder is the artillery band sergeant major, a role in which she oversees accountability and scheduling, she said. She was put in charge of a group of cadets who performed in January at the Texas State Society Black Tie and Boots Ball in Washington, D.C., the night before President Donald Trump was inaugurated.

Holder's sergeant major status put her in line for the commander position as a senior聽性视界传媒� but there was a catch: She性视界传媒檇 have to forfeit the commander性视界传媒檚 slot to vie for the drum major性视界传媒檚 job. She性视界传媒檇 face stiff competition to attain it, and it would require an additional hour of individual practice every day, on top of the band性视界传媒檚 practice-laden schedule.

It was a 性视界传媒渉uge gamble,性视界传媒� she said.

性视界传媒淚 knew that I had to give drum major a shot,性视界传媒� Holder said. 性视界传媒淚 had a feeling that, if I didn性视界传媒檛 at least try, I would have regrets about it in the future since it had been my dream since freshman year. I性视界传媒檓 so glad I took the gamble.性视界传媒�

So are her Aggie mom and dad, Stacy and Doug Holder.

"I have become emotional every time the Aggie band has formed at the north end of Kyle Field," Stacy Holder said. "Next year, when Natalie's leading them, oh boy, I'm going to be sobbing. I'm going to make a spectacle of myself.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淚t's聽kind of the culmination of a lot of effort and hard work on her part," Doug Holder said. "She set her mind to go do it, and she did it, and it was against pretty long odds. It's hard for anybody to get that job.性视界传媒�

Stacy Holder said she knew from an early age that her daughter would be a talented musician. Few fifth-grade students are assigned to play the bassoon, but Holder性视界传媒檚 Longview ISD band directors, Nathan Brazell and Tommy Moore, must have seen her capability.

性视界传媒淪he proved them right because she just she loved it from the beginning and really excelled,性视界传媒� Stacy Holder said.

Brazell and Moore are two of several people whom Natalie Holder credited with her success. She also thanked her family, the Fightin性视界传媒� Texas Aggie band directors and her fellow musicians for trusting her to be their leader.

While Holder is the female first drum major of the combined band, women have served as drum majors of the individual artillery and infantry bands. Being the first woman to lead the combined band, Holder said, is a 性视界传媒済reat honor.性视界传媒�

性视界传媒淭he fact that I had overwhelming support from the band directors and my fellow bandsmen from the beginning of my candidacy is a testament to how much the dynamic has changed since women were first allowed in the band,性视界传媒� Holder said. 性视界传媒淢y focus now is to uphold the standard of excellence that is expected of an Aggie band drum major, and I will do so with hard work and integrity.性视界传媒�