The Chesterton High School Trojan Guard Marching Band traveled to Penn High School in Mishawaka, Indiana this past Saturday to participate with 29 other Northern Indiana bands in the Penn Kingsmen’s “Carnival of Bands” invitational competition.
The Class “A” competition was won by Ft. Wayne’s 291-member Homestead Spartan Alliance with a score of 80.15. Capturing the second place trophy in Class “A” was the 190-member Crimson Marching Band from Goshen, Indiana, with a score of 74.60. Third place honors went to the 157 members of the Carroll Charger Pride Band who scored a 73.50. The 80-member CHS Trojan Guard took the fourth place position with a score of 64.95. The 90-member LaPorte High School marching band rounded out the top five competitors with a score of 63.20. The 86 students in the “Big Orange Pride” from Ft. Wayne Northrop High School put in a final score of 62.10 to land them in sixth place. Seventh place went to the 100-member Panther Marching Band of Ft. Wayne Snider High School who scored a 60.90. A score of 59.75 was earned by the 96 members of the Tiger’s Pride of Warsaw, Indiana, and Portage High School’s Pride of Portage boasting 99 marching members completed the Class “A” competition with a score of 58.05.
This early season invitational is a precursor to the upcoming Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) competitions that will begin in early October. The results of the ISSMA competitions will then decide which groups will qualify to perform in Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, November 2 as part of the ISSMA State Championship event.
ISSMA has traditionally organized the Indiana competitive marching band circuit into four classes
(Open A-B-C-D) based on the student enrollment of each school. This season, ISSMA is offering two additional competitive classes based on band size. These classes are known as Scholastic “A”, which is designed to include bands from larger schools, (“Open” Class A & B) that may currently have bands of 125 members or less. Those bands that normally compete in the classes with smaller school enrollment, (“Open” classes C & D) now have the option of competing in Scholastic “B” Class, which is designed for C and D sized schools that currently have bands of 65 members or less. The addition of these two classifications is a simple but important educational step by ISSMA to better serve the needs of the thousands of young musicians across Indiana that take part in competitive marching band each year.
The Trojan Guard’s 2013 field show is entitled: “Cathedrals”. The production is an artistic celebration of the great gothic era architecture using various musical ideas that have originated over the last 12 centuries.
There are 80 students in the Trojan Guard that include 40 woodwinds and brass player, 15 percussionists, 24 color guard members, and one drum major. Members of the 2013 Trojan Guard include: Kathryn Ausema, Jacob Barnes, Mariah Bement, Trey Bonnema, Teagan Bowen, Diva Bridegroom, Sariah Brimberry Zach Caprous, Emily Cernick, Belle Chandler, Nick DeHenes, Naomi Draus, Justice Eiden, Annabelle Engel, Jacob Espinoza, Riley Franklin, Sailor Franklin, Annie Friday, Alexis Gaines, Izabelle Galvin Ellis, Alysa Garriott, Amanda Gillespie, Betsy Goysich, Arianna Hall, Seth Halpin, Matt Hampton, Hayley Hardesty, James Hawley, Alli Henry, Hailey Hickey, Loren Hodgkiss, Rowan Holsen, Amanda Isbister, Brandon Jackett, Samantha Johnson, Curtis Jones, Jack Jones, Olivia Kaiser, Henry Keller, David Kosakowski, Austin Krafft, Sam Kravitz, Brittney Kress, Michael Lipinski, Nicole Luberski, Shania Lubarski, Jackson Lucken, Bobby Maletta, Hannah Maluvac, Skylar McElheny, Taylor McElheny, Emily Mellin, Nathan McCall, Elissa McNicholas, Allie Ordziejewski, Spencer Ostrega, Fred Owens, Joel Peterson, Nathan Poczekay, Robert Rosenau, Zach Royko, Hayley Sabol, Joe Sabol, Kylie Sabol, Natalie Stemler, Colin St.Mary, Laura Stepanovich, Garrett Swanson, Brittany Tanner, Damien Thomas, Madison Thorne, Valerie Valerio, Abi Vallangeon, Alexi Vander Vinne, Zoe Vander Vinne, Alissa VanNoorte, Jaynellen Waelde, Sydney Walker, and Abby Wright. The Drum Major for the Trojan Guard is Ms. Erin McNicholas.
The Trojan Guard is under the direction of Michael Scheiber with assistance by Vincent Arizzi. Additional staff includes Lisa Scheiber color guard director, Jeff Wroblewski drill design. For additional information regarding the Trojan Guard or any band activity, please contact the CHS Music Department at 983-3730.
The next performance by the Trojan Guard will be this Friday at the halftime of the CHS home football game when the Trojans take on the Indians of Lake Central High School. The next competition for the Trojan Guard will be this Saturday, October 5 when the band travels to Plymouth High School to take part in the Harvest Festival band competition
The Chesterton High School Music Department and Band Boosters are currently looking for alumni and parents of alumni to assist with the hosting of our ISSMA Regional at C.H.S. on Saturday, October 19. Some 26 Class “A” and class “C” bands are scheduled to compete throughout the day and a great deal of help is needed to make this event a success. “This is a wonderful time for alumni to get involved again and to remember the days when this organization helped to shape their lives,” said the group’s director Michael Scheiber. “If they can pour soft drinks, park a car, make change, put a hotdog on a bun, or guide a band, their help in supporting the members of today’s Trojan Guard is needed, and it will be greatly appreciated.” Those persons are interested in assisting with the Regional are strongly urged to contact the CHS Band Booster Chairman Kris Engel at 219-764-4480 at your earliest possible convenience. You may also contact the CHS Music Dept. at 983-3730 ext. 7172.