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A dozen bands compete in Mt. Pleasant’s 24th Annual Marching Band Invitational
Mt. Pleasant Middle and High School bands performed exhibitions among 12 competing high school marching bands, Saturday, Sept. 21
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MT. PLEASANT — Tipton, Mt. Vernon, Council Bluffs Lewis Central, and Central Lee schools all walked away from the 24th Annual Mt. Pleasant Marching Band Invitational last weekend with top scores.
The 2024 Marching Band Invitational began with an exhibition “Getting from Here to There,” from Mt. Pleasant Middle School’s marching band directed by Adam Creager and color guard instructed by Angie Blint featuring the songs “Slow Ride” arranged by Ward Miller and “Crazy Train” arranged by Michael Brown.
The Mt. Pleasant Middle School Marching Band will perform three additional times during the marching season including The Mt. Pleasant Homecoming Parade, the annual All Band’s Night, and the final varsity home football game.
Following the middle school’s exhibition to get things moving, a dozen school marching bands gave their best performances for six judges in hopes of securing good placements and caption awards. This year’s judges include Ron Coberley, a Drake University graduate that taught instrumental music in New London for 40 years; Dave Newport, a former director of bands at Grinnell High School for 20 years; Patrick Kearney, the current eighth-grade band director at Johnston Community Schools and previous high school Director of Bands; Doug Krejci, a percussionist and educator, and judge of more than 35 years; Sherry Stone, an individual involved in color guard for the last 30 years; and Kent Keating, the current Show Choir Director at Mt. Mercy University.
In the 1A/2A division, Tipton’s “Bond… James Bond” performance under the direction of Andy Owen and leadership of Drumline Instructor Chris Foster, and Color Guard Instructor Julie Thomas, brought home first place. They also secured the caption award for Hornline in their division. Central Lee took second and Wapello placed third in the 1A/2A division.
With the largest group of fans in attendance earning them the Lennis Moore Fan Appreciation Award, Mt. Vernon’s “Among the Stars,” performance featuring “Sky Full of Stars” by Coldplay, “In the Stars” by Benson Boone and “Rewrite the Stars” from The Greatest Showman. Under the leadership of directors Scott Weber and Elise Rodenberg, Drumline Instructor Brock Davenport, and Front Ensemble Instructor Tess Lorraine, Mt. Vernon also nabbed four caption awards: Drum Major, Color Guard, and Percussion in the 3A division.
In the 3A division Center Point-Urbana earned second place, followed by Oskaloosa, Fort Madison, Washington, and then Keokuk earning sixth.
Performing “Let it Rain,” “Surge,” and “Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls,” for their “Waterfalls” show, Council Bluffs Lewis Central earned first place in the 4A Division at the Mt. Pleasant Marching Band Invitational, Saturday evening. In addition to this win, they also walked away with all of the caption awards for their division including Drum Major, Color Guard, Percussion, and Hornline. Dan Tucker directs the Lewis Central marching band along with Martin Aldrich, Andrew Tisty, Amanda Stevenson, and Nick Townsend. Lexi Kirchert and Jenna O’Doniel instruct the color guard and Solais Hernandez instructs the drumline.
Muscatine earned second and Ottumwa walked away with third in the 4A division.
As the dozen bands dreamed of bringing home the top accolades, Mt. Pleasant High School Panther Marching Band gave an exhibition performance aptly entitled “Dare to Dream,” featuring “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” “Pure Imagination,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Clair de la Lune,” “Enter Sandman,” and “A Million Dreams.” MPHS Marching Band directors Brad Cook, Kent Keating, and Adam Creager along with Color Guard Instructor Whitney Rogers, and Color Guard Choreographer Sherry Stone, express gratitude to the boosters, volunteers, fans, and participating bands for making the night a wonderful one filled with music.
MPHS Panther Marching Band will perform next at Linn-Mar at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
