Football season brings homecomings. Homecomings bring parades. And parades bring school spirit—and, of course, music! Best way to start the day! #MSHawkpide #207Now pic.twitter.com/eIPl6QM9ej — Ben Collins (@TheSeaver1) September 23, 2022 Students at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Illinois, were greeted in the hallway by the school’s marching band, shown in the Twitter video. The band had just performed at a Homecoming Parade on the streets around the school Saturday, the Chicago Tribune reports. In Maryland, homecoming festivities are also in full gear. The celebratory week starts M ..read more

Twelve marching bands, including one from Mexico, five from US high schools, and three from US colleges, marched down New York streets Thursday morning in Macy’s 96th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. Embed from Getty Images High school marching bands were from Vandegrift High School, Austin, Texas Clovis North Educational Center, Fresno, California (coverage) Bourbon County High School, Paris, Kentucky Carmel High School, Carmel, Indiana (coverage) Tarpon Springs High School, Tarpon Springs, Florida (coverage) In addition to the five bands that represented US high schools through an extensive ..read more

Six high school marching bands and one band made up of high school students from every state marched in Macy’s 95th Thanksgiving Day Parade this morning in New York. Embed from Getty Images The Macy’s organization has always known how to pick the best bands. If you’re looking for the best bands, it’s often good to start by visiting the states where many of the best high school marching bands can be found, such as Texas. The second unit in the parade was the all-girls marching band from The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders in Austin, Texas. The school, which is a public school but re ..read more

During the Illinois primary election in June, voters in School District 121, which includes Warren Township High School in north-suburban Gurnee, passed a referendum that will effectively raise the tax levy on residents by 60 cents and, in so doing, save some important programs at the school, Julia Waelder writes in the school’s student newspaper. Warren Township Competition Marching Band (school website) The 60-cent tax hike, which passed by fewer than 1,000 votes in very low turnout, means homeowners will pay more in property taxes to the school district, which, under Illinois law, is an ind ..read more

WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Oct. 24) — Late October and early November mark, each school year except during the pandemic, the marching band championship season across America. Marching bands have polished their shows, thanks to feedback from adjudicators, directors, and other coaches, and they will, over the next few weeks, leave it all on the field. Shawnee HS performs at the Tournament of Bands A Class Region 1 Championships (Voxitatis) While many high school marching bands do not participate in a competitive circuit—such as a state championship, Bands of America, the Tournament of Bands, or a ..read more

INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 11) — Piqua High School, located since 1981 at 1 Indian Way, Piqua, on the Great Miami River in west central Ohio, brings a marching band to Lucas Oil Stadium for a preliminary performance at the Bands of America Grand National Championships. The field show’s theme focused on the number “2” and its property of being better than 1. Musical selections were works like “Waltz Number 2” from Dmitri Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite Number 2, again focusing on the number “2.” In addition to the Shostakovich, the band also presented its renditions of Howard Hanson’s “Concerto for Piano an ..read more

The Marching Knights of Propsect High School in Mt Prospect, Illinois, celebrated the 25th year of their home marching band festival and competition Saturday, Hubert Piskorz reports in Prospector Now, the student newspaper. Prospect Marching Knights (Chris Barnum/school paper) The annual “Knight of Champions” brought 14 marching bands to the school on a single afternoon to perform their field shows for judges who record feedback and for several hundred fans who thoroughly enjoy the marching arts. Illinois Marching Online lists about three dozen school-based festivals in Illinois this fall. “It ..read more

The Marching Bear Band from Oakdale High School in Ijamsville, Maryland, took the field for the halftime show at home football games this fall, telling the story in music and choreography of youngsters visiting an art museum for the first time, Riley Frutiger writes in The Oakdale Post student newspaper. The show highlights what is perhaps a stereotype about the capacity of young people for appreciating art, as marchers act out a range of reactions, from excitement at the new experience to disinterest and apathy at what is not understood. When it comes to the marching band itself, though, stu ..read more