The acclaimed spot is legendary among America’s college marching bands, and competition among Ohio State sousaphone players for the coveted honor has always been fierce — especially for the annual rivalry game against “that team up North.”
And this year that honor will be performed by Fairfield High School marching band alum Cyrus Aalaei, a 2012 graduate of the Butler County school.
Prior to his performance before a TV audience of millions, Aalaei told the Journal-News he has dotted the “i” previously, but never in a game of such magnitude.
Ohio State is rated second in the nation and Michigan third. The game will be a showdown not only between the most intense rivalries in college football but also at stake is a place in the playoffs for a national championship.
“I wasn’t nervous the first two times I dotted the ‘i’ but this is the biggest game since 2006 (when the teams were ranked #1 and #2) so I think I’m going to be a little nervous,” he said.
His former band director at Fairfield High School wasn’t surprised that Aalaei was tapped for the honor.
“Cyrus was a great band member and you can’t get any bigger stage than that,” said Jill Wilhelm, who has directed the Fairfield marching band since 2002.
Aalaei came about the honor in a rare way. He doesn’t attend Ohio State but rather is a senior at Columbus’ Capital University, where he is earning a degree in music technology. The OSU band allows some qualified, non-student members to participate in the band.
Aalaei said he also believes he is the first Persian-American to dot the “i” and band officials said he may be right, since there are no such records maintained in the long history of the band that stretches back into the early 20th century.
Like other band members, the student members can be challenged by others for each home and away game where the band plays. Aalaei survived a number of challenges and Ohio State band officials cited Aalaei as going after the top honor with particular dedication.
“Cy has been a fine member of our band for the past four years, and I can think of no better way for him to cap off his Ohio State Marching Band experience than by dotting the ‘i’ in Script Ohio for the biggest game of the year,” said Christopher Hoch, director of Marching and Athletic Bands at Ohio State.
“Being an i-dotter is always a huge honor, but with this being the last home game of the season, and it being a game against that team up North, this will be a particularly special moment for Cy,” Hoch said.
Aalaei remained confident he’d get his senior-year chance to perform in the rivalry game.
“I knew if I didn’t get defeated in any challenges — and didn’t break my leg — I’d get my chance,” he said.
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