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Post by 70sguardchick on Mar 1, 2022 14:18:59 GMT -6
I know Indiana bands are starting to do those early parent/student info meetings - any news of program changes, director changes, show announcements, etc?
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Post by paddy on Mar 4, 2022 10:21:47 GMT -6
Western had a director change at the beginning of the calendar year.
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Post by paddy on Apr 13, 2022 6:18:13 GMT -6
Ben Davis director change and rumored Greenwood staff changes.
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madisonscoutsop
Full Member
Madison scouts in '19 '20 '21 Former Visual Caption Head-Huntington North Marching Band 2018-2022
Posts: 29
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Post by madisonscoutsop on May 9, 2022 16:24:07 GMT -6
A few staff Changes at Huntington North, added at least 4 new staff this year on top of the 3 they had and show titled "Shattered"
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Post by Marching Observer on May 9, 2022 16:44:14 GMT -6
I know this isn't exactly what this thread is for but I am just curious if anyone had a copy of the program of the ISSMA concert finals that happened last weekend? It'd be great to see what everyone played. As for program news for the state of Indiana, sadly I'm pretty much as the mercy as everyone else in regards to knowing what's going on lol. I'd love to see some of the bands that experienced success last season (or past several seasons) to come out of Scholastic and join Open class this year.
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Post by dbalash on May 25, 2022 9:36:42 GMT -6
Lake Central is back in Open Class.
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Post by Marching Observer on May 25, 2022 19:40:45 GMT -6
Lake Central is back in Open Class. Love to see that!
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Post by thewho on Jun 9, 2022 14:47:28 GMT -6
Heard Warren Central may be in Open this year.
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Post by thewho on Sept 11, 2022 17:00:58 GMT -6
I've already heard quite a bit from some of the Indy groups (which is pretty surprising given where I live now...). So... let's talk! - Avon and Carmel are unsurprisingly looking to be neck-to-neck this year again. Carmel is looking very strong on the drill side, having a significant amount of meat already fleshed out in the show in comparison to Avon (who missed competition this week due to unfortunate rain). However... if you're asking me who's looking stronger thus far, it's Avon.
- Granted, I said the same exact thing last year and Carmel came swinging back. I don't think it's worth taking stock just yet. Unfortunately, there's just not a lot of content to be able to accurately gauge where both bands are headed just yet (therefore choosing to pass detailed judgement at this point for now).
- Castle have a significant amount on the field already right now. Castle, in particular, has roughly about 6-7 minutes of drill right now and all of it is extremely solid stuff. While there were some performance issues last year, it's clear the design team feels much more comfortable giving Castle harder material and it is clearly showing. There's a ton to clean still, but most is performed past a sufficient early-season level. In my eyes, it comes down to whether Castle has given themselves enough room to rewrite and grow, because it is a significant amount already committed to the field. There's still strong growth potential, but that is a lingering question I walk away with.
- Brownsburg has 5 minutes or so and very sloppily performed (mostly due rushing before the incoming rain), but still entertaining nonetheless. It is difficult to gauge whether the performance was within the spectrum of an average BBurg performance (albeit on an extreme end, i.e. bad day) or an outlier. I think the truth lays somewhere in the middle, but it is early season still. Regardless... I surprisingly like the show. There's already a good chunk committed on the field, so it's again a question of whether there's room to grow into a GN Finalist show. That being said, it's a sure thing that BBurg has more to go in comparison with Castle.
- I've gone back and forth about where Homestead stands in respect to the remainder of the Homestead/Fishers/Brownsburg/Castle (referred here forth as the "3-6 Indy contingent"), so I'll just put this out: Homestead is carrying nearly 200 members this year, a smaller amount than last's. Homestead is due for new uniforms sometime around late Sep./early Oct. Homestead does not have their props out on the field yet. Homestead only had roughly 4-5 minutes. I get why people are willing to drop them after 2021. But this is the best start I've seen of them since 2014. I have this band pegged with the most growth potential in Indiana, not because of the lesser content, but this is a very talented group of kids. We'll see how the remainder of the season shakes out, but I'm much more optimistic for the band this year.
- That being said, I'd understand concerns about Carroll finishing within ~1.5 points of Homestead. I would just wholeheartedly dismiss this for two separate reasons: 1. Carroll had roughly 7 minutes compared to Homestead's 4-5 minutes. That's a lot more content on the field to compare. And 2. That was an incredibly solid 7 minutes of content. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Carroll is nipping at 3-6 contingent's heels all season long. In fact... I could feasibly see Carroll passing any of those if they have a bad night and Carroll a terrific night. Granted, that's more like a 1 in 75 chance of occurrence, but this is the closest I've seen Carroll come to those 4 ever. Unfortunately, Carroll is still not a sure pick in the 3-6 Indy contingent just yet, but this is the closest they've striked towards them yet.
- The last of which to talk about is Goshen. Goshen is looking and sounding crisp and clean already at this point in the season, with room still to grow. Still a solid statement for this week, but I do not find myself thinking they'd be able to catch Carroll. Regardless, Goshen continues to stand as a strong pick for finals, albeit in competition against the other bands looking in.
That's not even talking about some interesting results around the state (in which I don't have an objective view beyond just scores and reports): - HSE beat out Franklin Central and Plainfield. Given their recent competitive push to be competitive, this only can be encouraging.
- Ben Davis beat out Noblesville. I've received reports that this is not a fluke placement at all, that this is a serious BD going against a state finalist Noblesville. There's some minor speculation this is more than likely a slow start for Noblesville and they'd begin ramping up their intensity soon (especially with BOA Obetz on the horizon), but certainly not a result to dismiss on Ben Davis's part. Worth keeping BD on state finalist watch in the next few weeks.
- There's also some reports that Floyd Central and Columbus are looking for state finalist pushes also. Take as you will, but FC is a reigning state finalist.
- Not to mention the additions to Open Class this year: Chesterton, Perry Meridian, and Elkhart performing this week, (along with Westfield, but did not due to rain). I'm extremely giddy about this absolutely wonderful additions to Open this year. Chesterton and Elkhart, in particular, were pointed to as to having extremely fun performances.
Speaking of which, I wanted to highlight the Open Class A bands moving up from Scholastic this year performing next week: - Chesterton (Concord)
- Elkhart (not sure. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
- Lake Central (Victor J. Andrew)
- Perry Meridian (Greenwood)
- Warren Central (Greenwood)
- Westfield (Northwestern)
Looking like a bright 2022 for Indiana!
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Post by TeamIndiana on Sept 11, 2022 17:53:34 GMT -6
I've already heard quite a bit from some of the Indy groups (which is pretty surprising given where I live now...). So... let's talk! - Avon and Carmel are unsurprisingly looking to be neck-to-neck this year again. Carmel is looking very strong on the drill side, having a significant amount of meat already fleshed out in the show in comparison to Avon (who missed competition this week due to unfortunate rain). However... if you're asking me who's looking stronger thus far, it's Avon.
- Granted, I said the same exact thing last year and Carmel came swinging back. I don't think it's worth taking stock just yet. Unfortunately, there's just not a lot of content to be able to accurately gauge where both bands are headed just yet (therefore choosing to pass detailed judgement at this point for now).
- Castle have a significant amount on the field already right now. Castle, in particular, has roughly about 6-7 minutes of drill right now and all of it is extremely solid stuff. While there were some performance issues last year, it's clear the design team feels much more comfortable giving Castle harder material and it is clearly showing. There's a ton to clean still, but most is performed past a sufficient early-season level. In my eyes, it comes down to whether Castle has given themselves enough room to rewrite and grow, because it is a significant amount already committed to the field. There's still strong growth potential, but that is a lingering question I walk away with.
- Brownsburg has 5 minutes or so and very sloppily performed (mostly due rushing before the incoming rain), but still entertaining nonetheless. It is difficult to gauge whether the performance was within the spectrum of an average BBurg performance (albeit on an extreme end, i.e. bad day) or an outlier. I think the truth lays somewhere in the middle, but it is early season still. Regardless... I surprisingly like the show. There's already a good chunk committed on the field, so it's again a question of whether there's room to grow into a GN Finalist show. That being said, it's a sure thing that BBurg has more to go in comparison with Castle.
- I've gone back and forth about where Homestead stands in respect to the remainder of the Homestead/Fishers/Brownsburg/Castle (referred here forth as the "3-6 Indy contingent"), so I'll just put this out: Homestead is carrying nearly 200 members this year, a smaller amount than last's. Homestead is due for new uniforms sometime around late Sep./early Oct. Homestead does not have their props out on the field yet. Homestead only had roughly 4-5 minutes. I get why people are willing to drop them after 2021. But this is the best start I've seen of them since 2014. I have this band pegged with the most growth potential in Indiana, not because of the lesser content, but this is a very talented group of kids. We'll see how the remainder of the season shakes out, but I'm much more optimistic for the band this year.
- That being said, I'd understand concerns about Carroll finishing within ~1.5 points of Homestead. I would just wholeheartedly dismiss this for two separate reasons: 1. Carroll had roughly 7 minutes compared to Homestead's 4-5 minutes. That's a lot more content on the field to compare. And 2. That was an incredibly solid 7 minutes of content. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Carroll is nipping at 3-6 contingent's heels all season long. In fact... I could feasibly see Carroll passing any of those if they have a bad night and Carroll a terrific night. Granted, that's more like a 1 in 75 chance of occurrence, but this is the closest I've seen Carroll come to those 4 ever. Unfortunately, Carroll is still not a sure pick in the 3-6 Indy contingent just yet, but this is the closest they've striked towards them yet.
- The last of which to talk about is Goshen. Goshen is looking and sounding crisp and clean already at this point in the season, with room still to grow. Still a solid statement for this week, but I do not find myself thinking they'd be able to catch Carroll. Regardless, Goshen continues to stand as a strong pick for finals, albeit in competition against the other bands looking in.
That's not even talking about some interesting results around the state (in which I don't have an objective view beyond just scores and reports): - HSE beat out Franklin Central and Plainfield. Given their recent competitive push to be competitive, this only can be encouraging.
- Ben Davis beat out Noblesville. I've received reports that this is not a fluke placement at all, that this is a serious BD going against a state finalist Noblesville. There's some minor speculation this is more than likely a slow start for Noblesville and they'd begin ramping up their intensity soon (especially with BOA Obetz on the horizon), but certainly not a result to dismiss on Ben Davis's part. Worth keeping BD on state finalist watch in the next few weeks.
- There's also some reports that Floyd Central and Columbus are looking for state finalist pushes also. Take as you will, but FC is a reigning state finalist.
- Not to mention the additions to Open Class this year: Chesterton, Perry Meridian, and Elkhart performing this week, (along with Westfield, but did not due to rain). I'm extremely giddy about this absolutely wonderful additions to Open this year. Chesterton and Elkhart, in particular, were pointed to as to having extremely fun performances.
Speaking of which, I wanted to highlight the Open Class A bands moving up from Scholastic this year performing next week: - Chesterton (Concord)
- Elkhart (not sure. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
- Lake Central (Victor J. Andrew)
- Perry Meridian (Greenwood)
- Warren Central (Greenwood)
- Westfield (Northwestern)
Looking like a bright 2022 for Indiana! thewho I always look forward to your insight! I attended the Goshen competition yesterday and share many of the same thoughts as you about the bands that were in attendance there. Homestead: I’m not “affiliated” with the program, but it’s the one I’m most connected to within the state. Yes they are slightly smaller this season than last (about 10 students) but quality wise they are far superior to the Covid seasons. Last season obviously was not the best for them. The students, staff and parents were bummed BUT it was probably the best thing that could have happened. Warfield and his staff completely approached this season differently and I think that it will pay off in the long run. The days of learning the full show by the end of band camp are long gone. They are now building a strong foundation by learning the first few parts and building from there. The students are motivated and so is the staff. As you mentioned, they are going to be receiving new uniforms in the coming weeks. A new, modern look. Props are to come also. There is a lot of potential with the production this season. I don’t want to hype them BUT, this is a strong group of students. If they push week after week this could be a great season for them. Carroll: they came out of that gate HOT! While Homestead has ditched the full show debate week 1, Carroll has now practically adopted that format! They nearly had everything out! You can easily see the direction the show is going this year. While not as “polished” as Homestead was, they were reasonably clean. Their guard has also flourished the last few seasons and really shined last night. I really thought they may have taken GE caption (similarly to what Homestead did to Avon last year week 1). Goshen: Goshen came out swinging week 1 also. While they didn’t have as much on the field as Carroll, they had a pretty good chunk. Not making state last year has them hungry this season and it shows. Another show with some great potential AND some amazing musical selections. I’m pulling for them this season. Chesterton: I am so happy to see them back in Open class! Honestly they were my biggest surprise of the evening. While their show wasn’t as demanding as the 3 above, what they did have on the field honestly looked and sounded pretty great. Scholastic class served it’s purpose on this band in my opinion. It helped them grow in the show design department and they are fielding a match larger band (from what I can remember) than they had before their pre scholastic class days. Concord: It’s pretty crazy how large this band is for Class B! Easily beating out Homestead and Carrol in size, but of course not in score. They didn’t have a whole lot on the field but that’s pretty typical for them. Not the cleanest yet but they will get there! Brownsburg: disclaimer - I have only seen them via video BUT I’m a sucker for a Cartwright show and I know I’m going to be in love with it this season. They had my favorite show last year and I know I’ll feel the same again. I may be bias, but if Homestead can’t be in the top 3 than I want Brownsburg there 😝
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Post by oldschooldrummer on Sept 11, 2022 19:25:06 GMT -6
I know Goshen was hosting, but does anyone know what score they received at their show?
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Post by Sonus on Sept 11, 2022 19:33:03 GMT -6
While I don't know their exact score, I do know they placed above Carroll and behind Homestead.
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Post by thewho on Sept 11, 2022 19:37:30 GMT -6
While I don't know their exact score, I do know they placed above Carroll and behind Homestead. Impressive for them!
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Post by das88 on Sept 11, 2022 20:04:04 GMT -6
I am pretty excited about how Indiana bands will do this year. As stated several times, I was initially mildly (Castle has always had a strong music program) including pre Tom Dean. He walked into an already strong program. Sounds like not only are they going to maintain, but looking at more challenging material. They clearly have a huge freshman class. Homestead. It’s always super tough to maintain when you lose a long time director, then your other long time director is gone. I remember when Homestead moved up to Class A and their 3 peat. Their fans were so impassioned they had scouts for seats (at state finals). I think walkie talkies. They have always had really strong community support but those years in the 90’s I will always remember. I’m glad to hear they are not taking a dive, like Lake Central. Sounds like they are going to be better than last year which is progress. Avon/Carmel rivalry is obviously not going anywhere . Their scores throughout the past several years have been so insanely close. We seem to do the Brownsburg/Fishers thing a lot. They are seemingly close as evidence by results last year. I anticipate the same.
I did watch the horrible video feed from Brownsburg Invitational. Carmel had a moving prop that split the band which looked crazy pills. Can’t wait to see all the Indiana bands this season.
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Post by Jake W. on Sept 12, 2022 1:58:31 GMT -6
- Not to mention the additions to Open Class this year: Chesterton, Perry Meridian, and Elkhart performing this week, (along with Westfield, but did not due to rain). I'm extremely giddy about this absolutely wonderful additions to Open this year. Chesterton and Elkhart, in particular, were pointed to as to having extremely fun performances.
Speaking of which, I wanted to highlight the Open Class A bands moving up from Scholastic this year performing next week: - Chesterton (Concord)
- Elkhart (not sure. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
- Lake Central (Victor J. Andrew)
- Perry Meridian (Greenwood)
- Warren Central (Greenwood)
- Westfield (Northwestern)
I wouldn't get your hopes up, thewho....I'm sure most of the groups listed and others will be languishing in Scholastic Class again this year, as is ever the case. A quick perusal of calendars reveals that Lake Central & Perry Meridian will indeed be moving into Open A, and Chesterton will be staying in Scholastic Class. No one else's calendars are particularly clear. Love that for Lake Central - their young staff seems to have stayed intact after all of the transitions a few years ago and seems intent on keeping them competitive. A particularly interesting note on Perry Meridian - looks like Mike Richardson has been there now for a season or two; he turned Benton Central into a competitive Class D&C program maybe a decade ago despite the school never having fielded a competitive band before his arrival. I've always thought Perry just needed a good director at the helm and the program would thrive - and it looks like they've found that match! They are for sure a group to keep an eye on in future seasons. Chesterton isn't surprising - they've played around in Open A for early season invitationals for a few seasons now, only to revert back to the safety of Scholastic Class for the official ISSMA contests. Ugh. Nothing new this year, either. The Trojan Guard made Semi-State in A pretty regularly until Scholastic class was implemented - they are a program from a wealthy suburb in The Region that has a ton of potential to hold their own in Open A, which will hopefully someday be tapped into by the directors. Who knows. I can't see them moving up without a rule about recurring appearances forcing them to. Not sure what to expect from Elkhart - is Bret Winternheimer at the helm? If so, then they are indeed in good & capable hands - but it's quite difficult to find current info! Looks like they quickly went through 3 or 4 directors as they merged schools for 2021. Seems like a crazy situation that...hopefully ironed itself out? It would be quite disappointing to see Westfield remain in Scholastic this season - they won last year, and the staff seems to be mostly unchanged - so what else would there be to prove? Other than winning again? All I could find was a local news article that stated they are marching 110 members this year, meaning they would still be eligible for competition in Scholastic Class. Pending disappointment aside, I firmly believe they will be joining their Hamilton County brethren as a strong, competitive Open A (& BOA) group eventually. Westfield was another program that I always thought had tons of potential (families with deep pockets who pay for private lessons and support the arts) and just needed a competent director to lead them - and they have absolutely found that in Andrew Muth, who did great things at Lewis Cass, and seems to have the current, smart direction that the program needed. Not sure what route Warren will take this season, either. I understand that the program doesn't have the depth of resources to compete in Open A with some of the suburban Indy schools, but the school has found so much success with concert programs and of course the winter guard (and prior marching band years!) that it's impossible to believe all of that success can't be translated to the field. I'd love to see them challenge themselves more and survive what I imagine to be quite easily in Open A. We'll see which route they go this year. I hope they venture permanently into Open Class eventually. Looks like Lafayette Jeff has a slate of new directors. Might be a few seasons before we see them in Open A. Same with Snider & LaPorte. One program to watch would be Warsaw, though. Looks like the Zieglers ended up there - they are responsible for leading Clay City to State Finals multiple times throughout the last decade or two.
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Post by paddy on Sept 12, 2022 7:46:13 GMT -6
Jake W. re: Westfield...The director believes he needs "wins" to justify future investment in his program from the district. That may mean they hang in Scholastic a bit longer. Westfield has grown so quickly as a school and community, and mostly from the younger grades up, that their high school offerings are behind where they should be for a school their size. Also, Westfield is a much more sports centric community at the moment and the growth/interest in their performing arts programs lags behind due to that. Muth (regardless of my personal feelings about the way he behaves) can and likely will build that program up to a very competitive point.
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Post by thewho on Sept 12, 2022 8:36:48 GMT -6
- Not to mention the additions to Open Class this year: Chesterton, Perry Meridian, and Elkhart performing this week, (along with Westfield, but did not due to rain). I'm extremely giddy about this absolutely wonderful additions to Open this year. Chesterton and Elkhart, in particular, were pointed to as to having extremely fun performances.
Speaking of which, I wanted to highlight the Open Class A bands moving up from Scholastic this year performing next week: - Chesterton (Concord)
- Elkhart (not sure. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
- Lake Central (Victor J. Andrew)
- Perry Meridian (Greenwood)
- Warren Central (Greenwood)
- Westfield (Northwestern)
I wouldn't get your hopes up, thewho....I'm sure most of the groups listed and others will be languishing in Scholastic Class again this year, as is ever the case. A quick perusal of calendars reveals that Lake Central & Perry Meridian will indeed be moving into Open A, and Chesterton will be staying in Scholastic Class. No one else's calendars are particularly clear. Love that for Lake Central - their young staff seems to have stayed intact after all of the transitions a few years ago and seems intent on keeping them competitive. A particularly interesting note on Perry Meridian - looks like Mike Richardson has been there now for a season or two; he turned Benton Central into a competitive Class D&C program maybe a decade ago despite the school never having fielded a competitive band before his arrival. I've always thought Perry just needed a good director at the helm and the program would thrive - and it looks like they've found that match! They are for sure a group to keep an eye on in future seasons. Chesterton isn't surprising - they've played around in Open A for early season invitationals for a few seasons now, only to revert back to the safety of Scholastic Class for the official ISSMA contests. Ugh. Nothing new this year, either. The Trojan Guard made Semi-State in A pretty regularly until Scholastic class was implemented - they are a program from a wealthy suburb in The Region that has a ton of potential to hold their own in Open A, which will hopefully someday be tapped into by the directors. Who knows. I can't see them moving up without a rule about recurring appearances forcing them to. Not sure what to expect from Elkhart - is Bret Winternheimer at the helm? If so, then they are indeed in good & capable hands - but it's quite difficult to find current info! Looks like they quickly went through 3 or 4 directors as they merged schools for 2021. Seems like a crazy situation that...hopefully ironed itself out? It would be quite disappointing to see Westfield remain in Scholastic this season - they won last year, and the staff seems to be mostly unchanged - so what else would there be to prove? Other than winning again? All I could find was a local news article that stated they are marching 110 members this year, meaning they would still be eligible for competition in Scholastic Class. Pending disappointment aside, I firmly believe they will be joining their Hamilton County brethren as a strong, competitive Open A (& BOA) group eventually. Westfield was another program that I always thought had tons of potential (families with deep pockets who pay for private lessons and support the arts) and just needed a competent director to lead them - and they have absolutely found that in Andrew Muth, who did great things at Lewis Cass, and seems to have the current, smart direction that the program needed. Not sure what route Warren will take this season, either. I understand that the program doesn't have the depth of resources to compete in Open A with some of the suburban Indy schools, but the school has found so much success with concert programs and of course the winter guard (and prior marching band years!) that it's impossible to believe all of that success can't be translated to the field. I'd love to see them challenge themselves more and survive what I imagine to be quite easily in Open A. We'll see which route they go this year. I hope they venture permanently into Open Class eventually. Looks like Lafayette Jeff has a slate of new directors. Might be a few seasons before we see them in Open A. Same with Snider & LaPorte. One program to watch would be Warsaw, though. Looks like the Zieglers ended up there - they are responsible for leading Clay City to State Finals multiple times throughout the last decade or two. Always love to see your posts! I haven't been following the director changes in Indiana closely, but the names you've mentioned here make a lot of sense to me as to why so many are making the jump to Open Class. Not to mention many are scoring surprisingly well! (Namely Perry Meridian getting a 68!) We've actually received confirmations from just about all of these bands on the forum here before the season started. The only one I am not 100% sure on is Warren Central, but I'll get that checked.
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Post by paddy on Sept 12, 2022 10:09:24 GMT -6
I wouldn't get your hopes up, thewho....I'm sure most of the groups listed and others will be languishing in Scholastic Class again this year, as is ever the case. A quick perusal of calendars reveals that Lake Central & Perry Meridian will indeed be moving into Open A, and Chesterton will be staying in Scholastic Class. No one else's calendars are particularly clear. Love that for Lake Central - their young staff seems to have stayed intact after all of the transitions a few years ago and seems intent on keeping them competitive. A particularly interesting note on Perry Meridian - looks like Mike Richardson has been there now for a season or two; he turned Benton Central into a competitive Class D&C program maybe a decade ago despite the school never having fielded a competitive band before his arrival. I've always thought Perry just needed a good director at the helm and the program would thrive - and it looks like they've found that match! They are for sure a group to keep an eye on in future seasons. Chesterton isn't surprising - they've played around in Open A for early season invitationals for a few seasons now, only to revert back to the safety of Scholastic Class for the official ISSMA contests. Ugh. Nothing new this year, either. The Trojan Guard made Semi-State in A pretty regularly until Scholastic class was implemented - they are a program from a wealthy suburb in The Region that has a ton of potential to hold their own in Open A, which will hopefully someday be tapped into by the directors. Who knows. I can't see them moving up without a rule about recurring appearances forcing them to. Not sure what to expect from Elkhart - is Bret Winternheimer at the helm? If so, then they are indeed in good & capable hands - but it's quite difficult to find current info! Looks like they quickly went through 3 or 4 directors as they merged schools for 2021. Seems like a crazy situation that...hopefully ironed itself out? It would be quite disappointing to see Westfield remain in Scholastic this season - they won last year, and the staff seems to be mostly unchanged - so what else would there be to prove? Other than winning again? All I could find was a local news article that stated they are marching 110 members this year, meaning they would still be eligible for competition in Scholastic Class. Pending disappointment aside, I firmly believe they will be joining their Hamilton County brethren as a strong, competitive Open A (& BOA) group eventually. Westfield was another program that I always thought had tons of potential (families with deep pockets who pay for private lessons and support the arts) and just needed a competent director to lead them - and they have absolutely found that in Andrew Muth, who did great things at Lewis Cass, and seems to have the current, smart direction that the program needed. Not sure what route Warren will take this season, either. I understand that the program doesn't have the depth of resources to compete in Open A with some of the suburban Indy schools, but the school has found so much success with concert programs and of course the winter guard (and prior marching band years!) that it's impossible to believe all of that success can't be translated to the field. I'd love to see them challenge themselves more and survive what I imagine to be quite easily in Open A. We'll see which route they go this year. I hope they venture permanently into Open Class eventually. Looks like Lafayette Jeff has a slate of new directors. Might be a few seasons before we see them in Open A. Same with Snider & LaPorte. One program to watch would be Warsaw, though. Looks like the Zieglers ended up there - they are responsible for leading Clay City to State Finals multiple times throughout the last decade or two. Always love to see your posts! I haven't been following the director changes in Indiana closely, but the names you've mentioned here make a lot of sense to me as to why so many are making the jump to Open Class. Not to mention many are scoring surprisingly well! (Namely Perry Meridian getting a 68!) We've actually received confirmations from just about all of these bands on the forum here before the season started. The only one I am not 100% sure on is Warren Central, but I'll get that checked. I would be surprised that Westfield sticks in Open given the stuff I have heard from the staff up there, but they should and can be competitive.
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Post by thewho on Sept 12, 2022 11:15:35 GMT -6
Unfortunate news, turns out Chesterton will be competing in Scholastic only this year.
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Post by das88 on Sept 12, 2022 16:06:54 GMT -6
thewho I always look forward to your insight! I attended the Goshen competition yesterday and share many of the same thoughts as you about the bands that were in attendance there. Homestead: I’m not “affiliated” with the program, but it’s the one I’m most connected to within the state. Yes they are slightly smaller this season than last (about 10 students) but quality wise they are far superior to the Covid seasons. Last season obviously was not the best for them. The students, staff and parents were bummed BUT it was probably the best thing that could have happened. Warfield and his staff completely approached this season differently and I think that it will pay off in the long run. The days of learning the full show by the end of band camp are long gone. They are now building a strong foundation by learning the first few parts and building from there. The students are motivated and so is the staff. As you mentioned, they are going to be receiving new uniforms in the coming weeks. A new, modern look. Props are to come also. There is a lot of potential with the production this season. I don’t want to hype them BUT, this is a strong group of students. If they push week after week this could be a great season for them. Short video out. Wow. They sound great. With new uniforms, props. I am excited for Homestead, Homestead, Homestead. Lean and mean Homestead
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Post by marimba11 on Sept 12, 2022 16:35:06 GMT -6
Homestead has a really pretty opening, that will be gorgeous when it’s clean. The show has a very 2019 vibe, but it will need to be much cleaner to make finals, those trumpets again...
Luckily of Homestead, Castle, and Brownburg, Homestead knows how to clean the best. I know they didn’t make finals last year but they’ve made it 5 times and Castle only 2 🤷♂️
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Post by das88 on Sept 12, 2022 18:21:59 GMT -6
this would be the year to do it.
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Post by drumlinedad on Sept 12, 2022 22:15:53 GMT -6
I've already heard quite a bit from some of the Indy groups (which is pretty surprising given where I live now...). So... let's talk! - Avon and Carmel are unsurprisingly looking to be neck-to-neck this year again. Carmel is looking very strong on the drill side, having a significant amount of meat already fleshed out in the show in comparison to Avon (who missed competition this week due to unfortunate rain). However... if you're asking me who's looking stronger thus far, it's Avon.
- Granted, I said the same exact thing last year and Carmel came swinging back. I don't think it's worth taking stock just yet. Unfortunately, there's just not a lot of content to be able to accurately gauge where both bands are headed just yet (therefore choosing to pass detailed judgement at this point for now).
- Castle have a significant amount on the field already right now. Castle, in particular, has roughly about 6-7 minutes of drill right now and all of it is extremely solid stuff. While there were some performance issues last year, it's clear the design team feels much more comfortable giving Castle harder material and it is clearly showing. There's a ton to clean still, but most is performed past a sufficient early-season level. In my eyes, it comes down to whether Castle has given themselves enough room to rewrite and grow, because it is a significant amount already committed to the field. There's still strong growth potential, but that is a lingering question I walk away with.
- Brownsburg has 5 minutes or so and very sloppily performed (mostly due rushing before the incoming rain), but still entertaining nonetheless. It is difficult to gauge whether the performance was within the spectrum of an average BBurg performance (albeit on an extreme end, i.e. bad day) or an outlier. I think the truth lays somewhere in the middle, but it is early season still. Regardless... I surprisingly like the show. There's already a good chunk committed on the field, so it's again a question of whether there's room to grow into a GN Finalist show. That being said, it's a sure thing that BBurg has more to go in comparison with Castle.
- I've gone back and forth about where Homestead stands in respect to the remainder of the Homestead/Fishers/Brownsburg/Castle (referred here forth as the "3-6 Indy contingent"), so I'll just put this out: Homestead is carrying nearly 200 members this year, a smaller amount than last's. Homestead is due for new uniforms sometime around late Sep./early Oct. Homestead does not have their props out on the field yet. Homestead only had roughly 4-5 minutes. I get why people are willing to drop them after 2021. But this is the best start I've seen of them since 2014. I have this band pegged with the most growth potential in Indiana, not because of the lesser content, but this is a very talented group of kids. We'll see how the remainder of the season shakes out, but I'm much more optimistic for the band this year.
- That being said, I'd understand concerns about Carroll finishing within ~1.5 points of Homestead. I would just wholeheartedly dismiss this for two separate reasons: 1. Carroll had roughly 7 minutes compared to Homestead's 4-5 minutes. That's a lot more content on the field to compare. And 2. That was an incredibly solid 7 minutes of content. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Carroll is nipping at 3-6 contingent's heels all season long. In fact... I could feasibly see Carroll passing any of those if they have a bad night and Carroll a terrific night. Granted, that's more like a 1 in 75 chance of occurrence, but this is the closest I've seen Carroll come to those 4 ever. Unfortunately, Carroll is still not a sure pick in the 3-6 Indy contingent just yet, but this is the closest they've striked towards them yet.
- The last of which to talk about is Goshen. Goshen is looking and sounding crisp and clean already at this point in the season, with room still to grow. Still a solid statement for this week, but I do not find myself thinking they'd be able to catch Carroll. Regardless, Goshen continues to stand as a strong pick for finals, albeit in competition against the other bands looking in.
That's not even talking about some interesting results around the state (in which I don't have an objective view beyond just scores and reports): - HSE beat out Franklin Central and Plainfield. Given their recent competitive push to be competitive, this only can be encouraging.
- Ben Davis beat out Noblesville. I've received reports that this is not a fluke placement at all, that this is a serious BD going against a state finalist Noblesville. There's some minor speculation this is more than likely a slow start for Noblesville and they'd begin ramping up their intensity soon (especially with BOA Obetz on the horizon), but certainly not a result to dismiss on Ben Davis's part. Worth keeping BD on state finalist watch in the next few weeks.
- There's also some reports that Floyd Central and Columbus are looking for state finalist pushes also. Take as you will, but FC is a reigning state finalist.
- Not to mention the additions to Open Class this year: Chesterton, Perry Meridian, and Elkhart performing this week, (along with Westfield, but did not due to rain). I'm extremely giddy about this absolutely wonderful additions to Open this year. Chesterton and Elkhart, in particular, were pointed to as to having extremely fun performances.
Speaking of which, I wanted to highlight the Open Class A bands moving up from Scholastic this year performing next week: - Chesterton (Concord)
- Elkhart (not sure. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)
- Lake Central (Victor J. Andrew)
- Perry Meridian (Greenwood)
- Warren Central (Greenwood)
- Westfield (Northwestern)
Looking like a bright 2022 for Indiana! Can I just say that I was in Columbus last weekend for the Columbus Invitational and Yes Floyd Central was good. They have an amazing horn soloist this year. But Columbus, with the combined school format, was way better than I have seen them in the past couple years. They performed in exhibition so their score was not posted, but with a combined enrollment of over 3300 and much more funding into their one program, you will be surprised where they get slotted in everybody’s rankings as we go through the next month leading up to regionals. This weekend we get see if they are for real at the Greenwood invitational when both Columbus and Floyd Central along with the mighty Avon and perennial contender Center Grove compete on the same field . Also newcomers Perry Meridian and Warren Central will be there. I think we will see closer scores than in past years. I’m traveling to the northern part of the state this weekend to see other bubble list bands in class (A) at the Concord invitational. I will also enjoy class (B) but mostly can’t wait to see Concord’s size. But I’m going to keep a close eye on the two (A) bands from outside the loop to the south this year. We all agree that ISSMA Class(A) has at least 7 guaranteed qualifiers for state, but it is the competition between the 10-12 bands competing for those last 3 spots that makes this season so awesome. I think both Columbus and Floyd Central are at the top of the bubble band list for state finals this year. Can’t wait to see Goshen and Penn this weekend. Bring it !!!!. I just am so glad we are back in full swing this year and I’m looking forward to a great season.
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Post by marimba11 on Sept 13, 2022 10:23:12 GMT -6
Castle is huge!! Saw the video. Very impressive for a school with enrollment less than 2k. The arrangement of the philip glass opener is almost verbatim James Logan 2014. Good comparison if anyone is interested in hearing it. Winds sounding very good… battery sounds a bit like a bag of rocks… still lots of time to clean tho
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Post by das88 on Sept 13, 2022 19:15:12 GMT -6
Castle is huge!! Saw the video. Very impressive for a school with enrollment less than 2k. The arrangement of the philip glass opener is almost verbatim James Logan 2014. Good comparison if anyone is interested in hearing it. Winds sounding very good… battery sounds a bit like a bag of rocks… still lots of time to clean tho They have a huge freshman class. Around 100 winds alone. They are not as clean marching wise as they usually are to start out, but being that young of a band it will take some time.
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contra
Junior Member
Posts: 23
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Post by contra on Sept 14, 2022 22:01:46 GMT -6
Castle sounds great! Can't wait to see them in person.
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Post by issma2023 on Sept 15, 2022 11:08:27 GMT -6
I would like to say that Lebanon is returning to compete in ISSMA this season for the first time since 2005! This was Lebanon's final season competing in the state fair band day circuit since 2011. They will be competing in Scholastic Class A this season, but next season will move back into their roots in Open Class B. This is very exciting for Lebanon and all of the tiger pride marching band alumni, who used to have lots of community support in their time of ISSMA. Adding to excitement too is Lebanon is finally getting the development it has needed for last 20 years to compare with surrounding cities like Avon, Zionsville, Brownsburg, etc. With 8 new large family suburbs being constructed, 2 new private country club neighborhoods, 2 Eli Lilly Plants/Purdue Research Center is to also be built, all within the next 5 years. We're already seeing a community with around 18,000 blossom into something much larger as Lebanon has a little over 1,020 students in the high school, with a marching band of 98 members it will be interesting to see how the program develops within the next few years and returns to ISSMA.
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Post by paddy on Sept 18, 2022 15:27:46 GMT -6
From the who:
Speaking of which, I wanted to highlight the Open Class A bands moving up from Scholastic this year performing next week: Chesterton (Concord) Elkhart (not sure. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) Lake Central (Victor J. Andrew) Perry Meridian (Greenwood) Warren Central (Greenwood) Westfield (Northwestern)
As confirmed by the recently posted ISSMA schedule…
Chesterton - scholastic Warren Central - scholastic Westfield - scholastic
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Post by cinnamonpromenade on Sept 18, 2022 23:13:24 GMT -6
From the who: Speaking of which, I wanted to highlight the Open Class A bands moving up from Scholastic this year performing next week: Chesterton (Concord) Elkhart (not sure. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) Lake Central (Victor J. Andrew) Perry Meridian (Greenwood) Warren Central (Greenwood) Westfield (Northwestern) As confirmed by the recently posted ISSMA schedule… Chesterton - scholastic Warren Central - scholastic Westfield - scholastic That's especially wild about Westfield, given the Open Class A results of the Northwestern Invitational this past weekend: - 67.300 Lawrence Township (GE, Music)
- 66.300 Ben Davis (Drum Major)
- 65.850 Westfield (Visual, Colorguard)
- (tie) 63.100 Decatur Central
4. (tie) 63.100 Zionsville (Percussion)
Winning two captions AND being within 1.5 points of two GREAT bands... maybe these results are just an early season fluke, but they suggest Westfield's capability of holding their own in Open Class.
Also noteworthy is that Zionsville will also be competing in ISSMA Prelims in Scholastic Class A.
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Post by paddy on Sept 19, 2022 4:51:51 GMT -6
From the who: Speaking of which, I wanted to highlight the Open Class A bands moving up from Scholastic this year performing next week: Chesterton (Concord) Elkhart (not sure. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) Lake Central (Victor J. Andrew) Perry Meridian (Greenwood) Warren Central (Greenwood) Westfield (Northwestern) As confirmed by the recently posted ISSMA schedule… Chesterton - scholastic Warren Central - scholastic Westfield - scholastic That's especially wild about Westfield, given the Open Class A results of the Northwestern Invitational this past weekend: - 67.300 Lawrence Township (GE, Music)
- 66.300 Ben Davis (Drum Major)
- 65.850 Westfield (Visual, Colorguard)
- (tie) 63.100 Decatur Central
4. (tie) 63.100 Zionsville (Percussion)
Winning two captions AND being within 1.5 points of two GREAT bands... maybe these results are just an early season fluke, but they suggest Westfield's capability of holding their own in Open Class.
Also noteworthy is that Zionsville will also be competing in ISSMA Prelims in Scholastic Class A.
Those are 2 very good bands that were 13th and 18th at semi-state and didn’t make state finals last year. Class A is incredibly deep and making scholastic finals can be more valuable to a growing program than being competitive in class A. Let’s be frank, most people outside our world don’t understand the difference between open and scholastic so I can understand why a director takes the path that leads to the greater publicity.
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