FOCUS ON: A Standstill Performance

Ladies and Gentlemen...welcome to a standstill--a true standstill. The Avon High School Marching Band had JUST won their 2nd National Title in a row, so their hearts were on fire, but CAN YOU FEEL THEIR ENERGY? And it's a STANDSTILL! Notice what they do as they are playing--the do EVERY visual in a very serious, full-out way, they take EVERY single step-off like they are actually marching. Why is this important?

SPOTLIGHT: Marian Catholic Marching Band

Where do I even begin? Marian Catholic is a BEAST in the high school band arena. They have been around for decades, are still on the cutting edge of the music/band world, and do not seem to be letting up by any means. Their director, Greg Bimm, is a band director I admire and have looked up to for many, many years. Growing up in BOA land, I grew up watching them compete each November at Nationals. Looking past their marching band, they are AMAZING musicians that have AMAZING concert groups as well. I met Mr. Bimm in June in a VanderClass I took part in. He was one of our teachers and man--did I learn! We have students coming into the High School from West, local Charter schools and local Christian schools. He has students coming in from 55 schools. He has NO idea what instrumentation he is going to have each year. There are students who come to him who have no idea how to play a scale...and by mid-November, they can march and play Bartok, Stravinsky, or anything else he puts in front of them. Does he teach them? Yes, BUT it is his LEADERS that make it happen!!! He has a unique, but very cool way he runs leadership. I will be talking about this at our meeting during pre-camp. I wanted to upload this Chicago Tribune interview/vid because it includes a couple of things we are going to try this season. See if you can figure out what they might be...

Countdown: 54321 - Centerville

Here is the original version of our show for this year. Our music will be a tad different, we will have different guard uniforms/flags/equipment, and of course our drill will be different. :-) I LOOOOVE the last chord of the ballad. Is it bad that I listen to the final part of the ballad over and over and over and over...