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APRIL 30, 2026—The 2026 Pal-Mac High School Band’s Spring Concert on Tuesday night was a big night for many reasons. For one, the event honored nine members of the Class of 2026 in spectacular fashion. But it also brought  a new tradition to the big stage: A senior student conductor.

For one song, one senior leads the entire band. For the first year, that senior was Isaiah Bransford, who plays clarinet. While he’s helped lead the group in warmups, he’d never conducted before.

And for his first shot at the spot, he conducted the band on a medley of songs from the 1991 movie “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” starring Kevin Costner.

Bransford was first asked to accept the honor by High School Band Director Mrs. Emily Herrmann earlier in the semester. He felt it was a chance to connect with his bandmates in a new way.

“I was pretty excited, but I took a little time to think about it,” Bransford said. “I went for it because I thought it would be a great opportunity both to grow in music, but also in leadership roles.”

PHOTO GALLERY: HIGH SCHOOL BAND SPRING CONCERT/SENIOR NIGHT (CLICK HERE TO VIEW )

In an email interview, Mrs. Herrmann said the idea of a student conductor dates back to her time at the Penn Yan Academy, where she conducted a piece as a senior. She brought that tradition along to Pal-Mac several years ago when she started leading the band at the Intermediate School.

This school year was her first as the high school's director, and she said it was a no-brainer to carry on the tradition.

"It is so special to have a student ensemble perform a piece of music led by a student conductor,” Herrmann said. “I believe it exhibits the culmination of the year's musical growth and ensemble collaboration when I, as the teacher, can step into the audience and let the spotlight fall entirely on our students.”

Bransford worked with his bandmates on the arrangement over the course of several weeks. The medley includes several pauses and moving pieces. Bransford said it was important to note who the soloists were, when they had to play their specific parts, and when he had to cue them at just the right moment.

And speaking of the moment, not only was it the first time for the senior conductor, but it also marked a first for the Bransford family. Isaiah was joined on stage by his younger brother, Zeke, along with his older sister, Graci, a 2024 Pal-Mac grad.

Zeke, who plays trumpet in the band, welcomed his brother and sister to the stage.

“There’s never been a year where all three of us were in the same band together,” Isaiah said. “So this was a pretty neat experience.”

And Bransford said it was also a humbling experience.  He's no stranger to the music stage, as he’s received several All-County and even All-State nods for his work, but he admitted conducting was an entirely new ballgame. He said he not only worked alongside Mrs. Herrmann, he also mirrored her.

And the hard work paid off, as he seemingly effortlessly conducted the band through the medley, and then, with a smile on his face, bowed to the cheering crowd of friends and family. He then returned to his temporarily vacant chair to play among his bandmates for the final song. Even Graci stayed on stage to play along.

As they finished, each band member took an additional bow, including Bransford, who entered his way into band history, and finished on a great note.

“I mean, it’s a neat experience, it’s one I'll always be grateful for,” Bransford said.

Additionally, Mrs. Herrmann said she looks forward to continuing the tradition for years to come.

Congrats to our Class of 2026 seniors: Emma Bedette, Isaiah Bransford, Ella Eakins, Ava Floyd, Jonas Henley, Gabriel Lewis, Emari Pearl, Nikki Pompeii, and Alana Rease