Congrats to Fall Marching Champions

Marching season is over, and attention is now shifting to concert band, jazz band, indoor percussion and winter guard. Here’s a recap of who took home some of the nation’s top honors in fall marching band competition for 2010.

The Bands of America Grand National Championships crowned familiar winners as Music for All celebrated its 35th anniversary. Avon (Ind.) High School (read “Shaping a Drum Major” written by 2010 head drum major Jessica McKinney) took home a third straight championship as well as the award for Outstanding General Effect and Outstanding Music Performance. Second place and Outstanding Visual Performance went to Broken Arrow (Okla.) High School and third place to L.D. Bell High School from Hurst, Texas.

Winners also included Tarpon Springs (Fla.) High School for class AAA, Marian Catholic High School from Chicago Heights, Ill., in class AA, and Bourbon County High School from Paris, Ky., in class A.

The U.S. Scholastic Band Association named the following championship bands at its end-of-year events: Group VI, George Walton High School from Marietta, Ga.; Group V, Dartmouth (Mass.) High School; Group IV, Nazareth (Pa.) Area High School; Group III, Rancocas Valley Regional High School from Mt. Holly, N.J.; Group II, Williamstown (N.J.) High School; Group I, Perkiomen Valley High School from Collegeville, Pa.

Tournament of Bands and the Atlantic Coast Championships took place on Oct. 31 and Nov. 7. In TOB the winners were: 3-A, Middletown (Pa.) High School; 2-A, Archbishop Wood High School from Warminster, Pa.; 1-A, Catasauqua (Pa.) High School.

The Atlantic Coast Champions included: 4-Open, Spring-Ford High School from Royersford, Pa.; 3-Open, West Deptford (N.J.) High School; 2-Open, Brick (N.J.) Memorial High School; 1-Open, Biglerville (Pa.) High School.

Cavalcade of Bands recognized A and Open champions in four divisions. Liberty division: A, Manheim (Pa.) Central High School; Open, Southern Regional High School from Manahawkin, N.J. American division: A, Blue Mountain High School from Schuylkill Haven, Pa.; Open, Greencastle-Antrim High School from Greencastle, Pa. Yankee division: A, Cheltenham High School from Wyncote, Pa.; Open, Spring-Ford High School from Royersford, Pa. Independence division: A, Crestwood High School from Mountain Top, Pa.; Open, Pittston High School from Yatesville, Pa.

The Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) Marching Percussion Festival features high school and college percussion groups and individual competitors. Paris (Texas) High School took first place in the high school standstill division and Texas State University in San Marcos won the college small ensemble competition.

About author

Elizabeth Geli

Elizabeth Geli is the assistant editor of Halftime Magazine and a journalist/communications professional in Southern California. Her 11 years at the University of Southern California (USC) Trojan Marching Band included time as a flute player, graduate teaching assistant, and student advocate. She holds a bachelor's degree in Print Journalism and master's degree in Specialized Journalism (The Arts) from USC.

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