Marching Bands En Route to WSMA State Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Thays, WSMA
Phone: 608-850-3566
Email: kthays@wmea.com
Web: www.wsmamusic.org

WAUNAKEE, WI (October 7, 2004) – High school bands from across the state will march onto the UW-Whitewater campus Saturday, October 16. A total of 33 bands are scheduled to participate in the Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) State Marching Band Championships at Forrest Perkins Stadium, starting at 11:15 a.m.

The 20th annual WSMA event is designed "to promote excellence, pride and a competitive atmosphere, while encouraging a spirit of support and enthusiasm among marching band participants," explained Linda Petersen, WSMA director of programs. "It brings music students together and it's great entertainment for the audience,” Petersen said.

West De Pere High School showed their winning form on their way to capturing the 2003 First Place Class A WSMA State Marching Band Championships, along with Best Musical and Best Visual Presentation awards."

In addition to participating in the traditional championship competitions, senior band members from a variety of schools will come together to perform a special arrangement of “America, the Beautiful” written by Rick Kirby for this 20th anniversary celebration. The special performance will take place at 9:15 p.m. following the band competitions. More than 350 band members will participate in this special celebration.

Divided into four entry classes determined by total school enrollment, each band will perform for 15 minutes in the competitions. A panel of eight judges from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Arizona will evaluate bands in five areas: music performance, marching ability, general effect/audience appeal, percussion and color guard. Bands will receive both a written critique and tape-recorded comments for their performance.

Participating high schools are listed in the schedule below:

Class A Bands		Class AAA Bands
11:15 a.m. – Palymyra-Eagle (critique only) 11:30 a.m. – St. Croix Falls 11:45 a.m. – Columbus 12:00 p.m. – Spooner 12:15 p.m. – Baldwin-Woodville 12:30 p.m. – Lancaster 12:45 p.m. – Whitewater 1:00 p.m. – West De Pere 1:15 p.m. – Marathon		4:45 p.m. – Antigo 5:00 p.m. – Hamilton-Sussex 5:15 p.m. – Wauwatosa East 5:30 p.m. – Merrill 5:45 p.m. – Menomonie 6:00 p.m. – D.C. Everest 6:15 p.m. – River Falls 6:30 p.m. – Germantown 6:45 p.m. – Whitnall 7:00 p.m. – WSMA State Marching Band Class A Champion Exhibition Performance


Class AA Bands		Class AAAA Bands
1:45 p.m. – Cudahy 2:00 p.m. – Mukwonago 2:15 p.m. – Onalaska 2:30 p.m. – Wisconsin Lutheran 2:45 p.m. – Greendale 3:00 p.m. – Cumberland 3:15 p.m. – New Berlin Eisenhower 3:30 p.m. – Fort Atkinson 3:45 p.m. – Sauk Prairie 4:00 p.m. – UW-Whitewater Exhibition Performance 4:15 p.m. – Awards Ceremony for Novice, Class A and Class AA Bands		7:15 p.m. – Hudson 7:30 p.m. – Waukesha South 7:45 p.m. – Oak Creek 8:00 p.m. – Waukesha North 8:15 p.m. – Waukesha West 8:30 p.m. – Chippewa Falls 8:45 p.m. – WSMA State Marching Band Class AA Championship Exhibition Performance 9:00 p.m. – UW-Whitewater Band Exhibition Performance 9:15 p.m. – Combined Schools Senior Celebration – “America the Beautiful” arr. Kirby 9:30 p.m. – Awards Ceremony for Class AAA and Class AAAA Bands

Two special award ceremonies at the Marching Band Championships will recognize top performers. In each class, awards for Best Percussion, Best Musical Presentation, Best Visual Performance and Best Color Guard will be presented. WSMA will also honor the school that best demonstrates camaraderie, spirit and enthusiasm with the prestigious Esprit de Corps award. Award ceremonies are scheduled for 4:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The UW-Whitewater Warhawk Band will present two exhibition performances at the event, just before the awards ceremonies.

Family, friends and community members are invited to attend the WSMA State Marching Band Championships. Tickets are available at the door, $10 for adults, $5 for students. For more information, visit www.wsmamusic.org/programs/marching_band/index.html.

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Wisconsin School Music Association is a service organization with more than 1,000 member public and private schools. Last year over 200,000 students took the initiative to become involved in WSMA activities, including District and State Music Festivals, State Honors Projects, State Marching Band Championships, and Concert Festivals. The Association is governed by a Board of Directors made up of superintendents, principals, and other officers from all over our state. WSMA believes music is a basic human need, and that all children have the right to experience all that music offers them.

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