Wayne Marching Band Earns Division II Excellent Rating At State

WAYNE – About a week after the marching band from Wayne High competed in the State Marching Contest, plans are on the horizon for a new show in 2020.

The 2019 NSBA State Marching Contest featured a competition site in Omaha and two festival sites in Lincoln and Kearney where Wayne performed at Kearney High School.

Wayne High received a Division II Excellent ratting, according to fifth – 12th grade band director Alex Wieland.

“You strive to get that Superior Rating Division I,” said Wieland. “Our Percussion group did receive a certificate for a Superior Performance for our portion of the contest.”

Along with Wayne there were 14 bands at Kearney in their group where the Blue Devils are Class B for music.

Wayne did four songs this year where normally they perform just three. Those songs were “The Phantom of the Opera”, “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”, “Masquerade” and “The Music of the Night”.

The Wayne marching band was featured in three field competitions in Pierce (October 2), in Ashland (October 19) and state (October 25) as well as in Wayne for the Band Day Homecoming Parade (October 5) where Wayne placed first in Class B.

With band being the first period of the day, the band members would be outside practicing at 7:20 a.m. typically Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Friday’s.

Weiland talked about each time they had a performance he saw improvement.

“Obviously we want to get that Superior Rating,” Wieland added. “But as long as wherever we started at and wherever we end, if there’s improvement along the way that’s what I’m really looking for.”

This year there are 62 members in the band including two drum majors, three in color guard while others performed wind instruments and also a percussion section.

The group has been prepping music for their Veterans Day program and a holiday concert. Jazz band will take over the early morning marching band time slot in the next couple weeks.

Share:
Comments