12Mar
29Jun
Trip to BOA Grand Nationals Brings Vandegrift Championship
It’s no secret that planning a marching band show takes months of meetings, research and constant reworking of ideas. Putting together a design team to create the product and getting that product on the field is another enormous undertaking. Making the programming come to life with 300 plus students and a small army of parents and supporters raises the stakes to the highest in the pageantry arts. The team at Vandegrift High School in Texas found a way to...
29Jun
Carmel Band Students, Staff and Alumni Look for the Smiley
Celebrating 25 years of the Carmel Marching Band Smiley Face It was a simple solution to a bigger problem. The weather during the Carmel Band marching season of 1995 had been horrendous. Heavy downpours to snow, the parents were wrapped up in outwear for protection from the elements. Even seeing school colors, the students couldn’t determine where their fans were seated let alone make out any faces in a sea of what seemed to be every group’s colors of blue...
29Jun
2020: Is it Okay to Travel Again
In a world full of Covid-19 and still many unknowns about the virus and its long-term effects, Senior Travel Designer at Music Travel Consultants, Greg Moore tackles this difficult question in 2020: Is it Okay to Travel Again. The lingering question in the student travel industry for the past four months has been, “When will it be okay to travel again?” A recent six-day excursion to Southwest Florida helped to shed some light on the subject for me. While current traveler...
10Jun
State Fair Band Day Students Miss More Than Funnel Cakes and Shake-Ups
The Indiana State Fair has a long tradition of serving up the most artery-clogging foods, amazing 4-H representatives, seemingly death-defying carnival attractions and above all, some of the finest marching bands in the Hoosierland on Band Day. Last week, the Indiana State Fair Board announced the cancellation of the annual event causing the cancellation of Band Day due to Covid-19 concerns. Since 1947, Band Day has taken place every year. "The impact will certainly be felt for a long time....
28Apr
Winter Season Starts Today
With the winter season cut short, it’s time to get back to the drawing board and make decisions for next February. Most winter guards were in the home stretch when the final weekends of the WGI season were canceled due to state shutdowns. Although there may be an opportunity to repurpose costumes or floors and flags, the conceptual adjustments to most programs were complete with just a few weeks remaining to thoroughly clarify all the performance elements of the...
28Apr
Student Leaders Keep the Band Together
Learning from home, communicating with one another, and keeping the spirit of the band together has been a challenge for all during the pandemic. While weeks rush by without a true understanding of what the summer and fall months will bring, directors and students struggle to make their way through the formidable team building that being together affords. These student leaders have found creative ways to keep the members motivated and looking toward the promise of an upcoming marching band...
28Apr
Shorter Season Calls for Celebrations During Mini Trips
Please Note: The Contest of Champions has been canceled for 2020. The Contest of Champions should return in 2021. Shortened training periods and potentially limited performance opportunities have band directors far and wide searching for alternatives to larger trips with their marching groups. Many groups look for educational adventures within competitive landscapes with an end-of-season celebration wrapped into one package. Larger, regional drawing contests can serve that very purpose. Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) has been hosting the granddaddy of...
27Apr
Zionsville Choirs Light Up Nashville Heart of America Stage
The Zionsville High School (IN) choirs loaded charter buses and headed south to Nashville, TN, for the Heart of America Championship. Not only would they find great success competitively, but they also enjoyed many sights and educational adventures on their trip. Enjoy this iconic Nashville choir trip with Zionsville. Under the direction of Deana Broge and Sam Chenoweth, both Royalaires and Choralaires had prepared since summer for local contests and a weekend on a national stage. They typically travel to...
22Apr
