COLUMBUS, Ohio — It's one of the most recognizable positions at Ohio State. 

• Barr said he’s dreamed of being the drum major his entire life
• The drum major at OSU has a bevy of responsibilities on game day, from leading the band, to Skull Session, to the march through Script Ohio
• His favorite thing about being drum major is the interactions he gets to have with the fans and his fellow-bandmates

And for Konner Barr, a fifth-year student graduating this fall, being the leader of Ohio State's Marching Band has been a dream come true. 

“The coolest thing is just the interactions with everybody," Barr said. "Whether that be with the band members, or the fans, or even alumni. Just being able to go on a game day and someone sees the uniform and they know who you are, that’s a pretty cool thing. But also, just being able to hang out with my close friends that I’ve had because of this band, it’s been a pretty cool experience.”

Barr is a central Ohio native, who was born in raised in Gahanna. He said he always knew he wanted to be a member of the band, and through his journey, his family has been a huge support for him. 

“Growing up just wanting to be the drum major my whole life, they’ve been with me every step,” Barr said. “I always say they’re my biggest fans because they’ve seen the ups, the downs, the goods and the bads this whole journey. I always smile because my parents always come down to practice every week, to Skull Session, they’re always there at the game, so it’s always very comforting to know that if I have a bad day on the field they’ll still love me the same amount.”

He said dealing with the fame of being drum major has been a tremendous experience, but one he tries to reciprocate back to his admirers. 

“It’s interesting because as drum major you are the leader of the band, so you have a lot of eyes on you, but at the end of the day you’re just a normal person," Barr said. "You’re just another band member, just another Ohio State student. So just being able to stay humble, stay ten toes down, and making sure that at the end of the day you’re treating everybody just like they would treat you. You’re definitely not a superstar by any means, and you’re just an average person.”

As for performing the role, Barr said it can actually be very stressful because there is a lot of pressure associated with the role of drum major. From leading the band to and from skull session, to the ramp entrance, to marching through Script Ohio, Barr deals with it well. 

“The drum major position is so complex, there’s so many different responsibilities that you have. Whether it be the backbend, where you have to bend over backwards…I am six-foot-four and not very flexible, so that’s a very stressful part for me…or leading Script Ohio where all those counts are on you, and you have to complete Script Ohio effectively. Or just the interactive part of performing for a crowd and having a good time. I’d say those are the three biggest parts of the position. Just making sure that you are being the best drum major, for not only the band, but for Buckeye Nation.”

He is grateful for all the help he's received from former drum majors, and is hopeful that through his performance in the role, he can inspire others to join the band.

“The biggest thing is just honoring those who came before you and those who come after you,” he said. “I've had a lot of alumni drum majors who have helped me get to where I am today. And so being able to put on the uniform that they wore, and to represent something that they were so passionate about, and something that I am so passionate about, hopefully in the future, me running down the ramp will inspire let’s say 10 more drum majors to come to the University.”

And at the end of the day, Barr is thankful for his fellow bandmates. He said they're the ones who deserve the fame and notoriety, because everyone in the group works extremely hard to put on the best possible show for the fans, week-in and week-out. 

“I truly do believe that we are the best damn band in the land and that we do represent the greatest university in the world," Barr said. "Being able to take the field with the 228 best college marching band members in the country, in my opinion, is something very special and very unique to this university. Being able to lead them onto the field and be their drum major is a very special thing.”