Marching Bands In Step for WSMA State Championships
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Phone: 608-850-3566
Web: www.wsmamusic.org
WAUNAKEE, Wis. (October 6, 2008) – High school bands from across the state will march onto the UW-Whitewater campus Saturday, October 18. More than 30 bands are scheduled to participate in the 24th annual Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) State Marching Band Championships at Forrest Perkins Stadium, starting at 10:45 a.m. Click here for schedule.
The future of this marching band experience owes much gratitude to a State Marching Band Endowment. In 2007, Mike Leckrone received the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music (WFSM). With this award came the establishment of a $60,000 endowment fund from Jere Fluno. This gift helps to perpetuate the Wisconsin School Music Association State Marching Band Championships for high school students throughout the state. The Mike Leckrone endowment fund is housed in WFSM and will continue to grow through interest in order to support the WSMA State Marching Band Championships.
“Marching band is not just a competitive activity for Wisconsin students. It is truly an educational lesson in teamwork, camaraderie, setting goals, accepting criticism and achieving deserved success after much hard work,” said Tim Wurgler, WSMA program director.
The WSMA State Marching Band Championships are divided into four entry classes determined by total school enrollment. Each band will perform for 15 minutes. A panel of eight judges will evaluate bands in five areas: music performance, visual performance, general effect, percussion and color guard. Bands will receive both a written critique and tape-recorded comments from each judge for their performance. In addition to the competitive classes, there is a Novice Class, and a non-competitive “Festival Class,” which utilizes an adjudication process for ratings, similar to WSMA’s renowned Concert Festivals. The UW-Whitewater Warhawk Band will present two exhibition performances at the event, before the awards ceremonies. In each class, awards for Best Percussion, Best Musical Presentation, Best Visual Performance and Best Color Guard will be presented, in addition to division awards and the top three awards in each class.
Family, friends and community members are invited to attend the WSMA State Marching Band Championships. (ages 6-17 and for undergraduate students with valid Student IDs) and senior citizens For more information, including post-event results, visit www.wsmamusic.org/programs/marching_band/index.html.
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Wisconsin School Music Association (WSMA) is a service organization with more than 1,000 member public and private schools. Each year, more than 220,000 student participants take the initiative to become involved in WSMA activities, including District and State Music Festivals, State Honors Music Project, State Marching Band Championships and Concert Festivals. WSMA, also owner and operator of the Wisconsin Center for Music Education, is governed by a board of directors made up of superintendents, principals and other officers from all over the state. WSMA believes music is a basic human need and that all children have the right to experience all that music offers them.