30+ Wis. high school marching bands compete in state championships

WHITEWATER, Wis. (WMTV) - Thirty-four schools from across Wisconsin gathered at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Perkins Stadium Saturday for the 38th Annual WSMA State Marching Band Championships.

In addition to their instruments, teams brought in costumes, props, and choreography that made each performance unique.

“Marching band is such a great combination between arts education and art form and athletics, because this really is the marching arts,” Executive Director of Wisconsin School Music Association Laurie Fellenz said.

Fellenz said many teams spend their entire season planning for the big day.

“Whether they place today in their class or simply meet the goals that they’ve set for themselves as a school, that’s our hope in the outcome today, is that everyone meets one of the goals they’ve set forward for themselves.”

Director of Bands at UW-Whitewater for 37 years Glenn Hayes said the bands have flocked to their campus for the annual event since 1987.

“The field is magnificent for acoustics, it’s kind of a freak thing but it really is,” Hayes said. “If a band moves air and has their instruments about 10 degrees above horizon it just sounds magnificent.”

The students not just putting on a show for the ears, but for the eyes too.

“Usually very fundamental and straight to the point and this year our director wanted to spice it up a little bit, get a little fun with it,” Drum Major for the Spirit of New Berlin Marching Band Jackson Kissling said.

No matter the outcome, musicians and organizers alike say the experience is an awarding one.

“Reflecting back on all your hard work it really kind of puts everything into perspective… wow we put all of this together, so it’s really cool,” New Berlin student Jackie Bass said.

Award ceremonies concluded Saturday’s event after a performance by the UW-Whitewater Marching Band.

Class A winners included:

1. Baldwin-Woodville
2. Cumberland
3. Columbus
4. Platteville
5. New Berlin West
6. Antigo
7. Cudahy

Class AA:

1. Greendale
2. Sauk Prairie
3. Waukesha North
4. Merrill
5. Wauwatosa West
6. Portage
7. New Berlin Eisenhower

Class AAA:

1. River Falls
2. Waukesha West
3. Milton
4. Greenfield
5. Cedarburg
6. Watertown
7. Wauwatosa

Class AAAA:

1. Oak Creek
2. Franklin
3. Germantown
4. Middleton
5. Mukwonago
6. Hamilton (Sussex)
7. Chippewa Falls
8. Fond du Lac

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