Head drum major Karen Warner, center, and assistant drum majors Brittany Hetfeld, left, and Jason LaFavor, were presented with the first place trophy in Class A competition at the Chippewa Falls Marching Cardinals "Music Along the Chippewa" marching band field show Saturday evening.The Baldwin-Woodville Marching Blackhawks will conclude a successful season of marching competition on Saturday at UW-Whitewater at the Wisconsin State Music Association's Marching Band Championships.
This is the fifth year B-W has participated in marching band competition, including the second under the direction of Adam Bassak.
The B-W band will perform at 1:15 on Saturday, October 20 in Class A competition. There are a total of 36 bands that will perform at UW-Whitewater, including seven in Class A.
B-W's program is "The Rise and Fall of Rome," an original marching band composition by Key Poulan. They have performed the piece in several previous competitions and at halftime of B-W football games. This Thursday evening, weather permitting, the band will perform the entire piece at halftime at the B-W/Somerset football game.
The State Marching Band competition at UW-Whitewater will be divided into four classes. Last year more than 8,000 people attended.
In addition to the high school bands performing at the competition, the UW-Whitewater Marching Band will perform two times-before intermission and at 10:00 p.m.
At Whitewater, as at other marching band competitions, each band has 15 minutes to set up, perform and take down. At Whitewater the bands are judged by a panel of nine judges, who evaluate each band in five areas: music performance; marching ability; general effect and audience appeal; percussion; and color guard.
Tickets for the competition at Whitewater are $11 for adults; and $6 for seniors and school children ages 6-17.
The B-W Band will leave Friday evening for southeastern Wisconsin and will return Sunday, staying two nights in an area high school.
The B-W Marching Blackhawks placed first in Class A on Saturday at the Chippewa Falls High School's competition "Music over the Chippewa."
Their point total was 65.8. They also received awards for top color guard and top percussion.
In previous competitions the Blackhawk performers have also done well. On Saturday, September 29 at Irondale High School in New Brighton, Minn. the Blackhawks marched to a second place finish. On Saturday, October 6 at DC Everest High School the Blackhawks received first place and won caption awards for top color guard, percussion, music and visual. On Sunday, October 7 the B-W Band was first with top color guard and top percussion.
