Regional band festivals combine passion and competition
Parkersburg South High School Marching Band performs in exhibition for Saturday’s high school band festival on its home field with the show theme “A Sound for All Seasons.” Greg Myers is band director for the 103 members and Alyssa Bumpus is assistant director. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Band Director Jed Corra’s Williamstown High School marchers begin their “Muppett Madness” routine for competition Saturday at Erickson. Field commanders are Sarah Young and Vivian Bennett. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Wahama High School Band members await their setup cue at the Jim Kessel Invitational Saturday. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Wirt County High School, which performed in both the PSHS Invitational and the PHS Jim Kessel Invitational, is shown at the PSHS event with field commander Brooke Cross. Their show theme was “Wirt’s World Tour.” (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The Parkersburg High School percussion section won the Class White first place award for Percussion and second place award for Band at the PSHS Invitational. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Dozens of band competition trophies line one side of the field at the Parkersburg South High School Invitational Saturday morning. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Drum Major Chrissa McCoy and members of the St. Marys High School Band walk to the competition area Saturday at Erickson field. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
St. Marys High School puts together “The Jackson Five” sounds for their show theme in the band festival at Erickson All Sports Facility Saturday. St. Marys band director is Bridgette Bowen Casto and drum major is Chrissa McCoy. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Parkersburg High School Marching Band members and Field Commander Lowell Burdette, pictured on the director’s platform, compete in the fifth annual Parkersburg South High School Invitational Saturday. Band director is Dan White. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The drum line from Marietta High School’s Wall of Sound prepares for a “Starry Night” to remember in the final performance of Saturday’s Band-O-Rama. The theme music included “Havana Nights,” “Golden Hour,” “Sky Full of Stars” and “Clair de Lune.” (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Parkersburg South High School Marching Band performs in exhibition for Saturday’s high school band festival on its home field with the show theme “A Sound for All Seasons.” Greg Myers is band director for the 103 members and Alyssa Bumpus is assistant director. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Band Director Jed Corra’s Williamstown High School marchers begin their “Muppett Madness” routine for competition Saturday at Erickson. Field commanders are Sarah Young and Vivian Bennett. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Wahama High School Band members await their setup cue at the Jim Kessel Invitational Saturday. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Wirt County High School, which performed in both the PSHS Invitational and the PHS Jim Kessel Invitational, is shown at the PSHS event with field commander Brooke Cross. Their show theme was “Wirt’s World Tour.” (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The Parkersburg High School percussion section won the Class White first place award for Percussion and second place award for Band at the PSHS Invitational. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Dozens of band competition trophies line one side of the field at the Parkersburg South High School Invitational Saturday morning. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Drum Major Chrissa McCoy and members of the St. Marys High School Band walk to the competition area Saturday at Erickson field. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
St. Marys High School puts together “The Jackson Five” sounds for their show theme in the band festival at Erickson All Sports Facility Saturday. St. Marys band director is Bridgette Bowen Casto and drum major is Chrissa McCoy. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Parkersburg High School Marching Band members and Field Commander Lowell Burdette, pictured on the director’s platform, compete in the fifth annual Parkersburg South High School Invitational Saturday. Band director is Dan White. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The drum line from Marietta High School’s Wall of Sound prepares for a “Starry Night” to remember in the final performance of Saturday’s Band-O-Rama. The theme music included “Havana Nights,” “Golden Hour,” “Sky Full of Stars” and “Clair de Lune.” (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
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Belpre High School Marching Band got a winners' welcome home from Marietta Saturday night after taking home three first places and qualification for state competition in the 62nd annual Band-O-Rama competition at Don Drumm Stadium.
In its Class C category, Belpre won Auxiliary Guard, first place; Percussion, First Place; and Overall Band, First Place.
A fire truck leading a spur-of-the-moment parade through Belpre Saturday night was being planned.
Fort Frye Marching Cadets took third place in Class C.
Marietta High School Wall of Sound, which hosted the Band-O-Rama, concluded the performances.
Band-O-Rama is the oldest running high school marching band competition in Ohio.
The competition was judged by verified Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Adjudicators.
In Parkersburg South High School's 5th annual Invitational at Erickson All-Sports Facility Saturday morning, the St. Marys, Williamstown and Wirt bands placed in competition.
Class Red:
St. Marys, Percussion, second place; Drum Major, first place; Color Guard, second place; and Band, third place.
Class White:
Parkersburg, Percussion, first place; Band, second place.
Williamstown, Percussion, second place; Drum Major, first place; Color Guard, second place, and Band, first place.
Wirt County, Drum Major, second place.
Class Blue:
Richwood, Robert C. Byrd and Ripley took the various awards for first, second and third places in all categories.
Overall Awards: Williamstown received Second Runner-up Grand Champion, which was determined regardless of class.
Results were not available from Saturday afternoon's Jim Kessel Invitational at Parkersburg High School's Stadium Field. St. Marys, Wirt, Williamstown, PHS and PSHS participated in both the Parkersburg High and Parkersburg South invitationals. Parkersburg South's performance at its home school event and Parkersburg High's performance at its home school event were exhibition performances, not competitive ones.