Southern Wells at 2010 Street Fair Choral Contest

Bluffton at 2010 Street Fair Choral Contest

Norwell at 2010 Street Fair Choral Contest

Norwell Tops at East Noble

Norwell’s “Marching Knights” continued on their winning way at East Noble Saturday, taking top honors in Class C. 

 

Once again, Norwell also claimed the caption awards for “Best Music” and “Best Visual”. They also tied for the caption award for “Best General Effects” with Concordia Lutheran.

 

Norwell also won the Sweepstakes Award, scoring more points than any band across all classes.   

 

The full results are as follows:

1: Norwell (73.05)

2: Concordia Lutheran (71.75)

3: New Haven (62.70)

4: Garrett (61.85)

5: Belmont (50.35)

6: Wayne (44.50)

Best General Effects:  Norwell and Concordia Lutheran (tie)

Best Visual: Norwell

Best Music: Norwell

 

This weekend Norwell travel to Homestead for the ISSMA District Championships. 

Thanks once again to Tomi Harrison for the info and photos. 

Video Clips From Thursday's Street Fair Show Choir Competition

Dekalb Take Honors at Street Fair Choral Contest

Dekalb and Northrop resumed their “Battle of the Bluffton Street Fair Choral Contest” Thursday evening, with the “Classic Connection” regaining the crown they lost last year. 

 

Dekalb has been the dominant force in the competition, winning every contest from at least 2000 through to 2008. Last year Northrop edged them by four points, but this year, Dekalb was back, storming home to a 292-280 victory, and pushing Northrop’s “Charisma”  back into the second place they occupied for five years prior to their victory. 

  

Both groups shook the stage with high energy performances, and were well backed by large and vocal crowds of supporters. Judges Chris Brush of Chicago, John Wenning of Huntington and Ric Giest of Decatur found in favor of the “Classic Connection.”

  

As if to underscore their comeback, the Dekalb girl’s group, “Sound Sensation”, claimed the competition’s third prize. 

 

Nine groups participated, with Dekalb fielding both a girls only choir and a mixed choir. As host schools, Norwell, Southern Wells and Bluffton performed exhibitions of their routines, while the two Dekalb choirs, Northrop (mixed and girls), East Noble (mixed) and New Castle (girls) battled it out in competition. 

 

Norwell once again got the show on the road in impressive fashion with their routine which included solo performances by Paige Meyer and, performing on crutches, Tim McBride. Norwell’s routine featured performances of “Jump”, “He Ain’t Heavy” (with Meyer and McBride as soloists) and “You Gotta Dig a Little Deeper”.  

 

Bluffton’s “Musical Entourage” performed midway through the contest, with their routine consisting of “Fame”, “Children of Eden” and “Shake Your Groove Thing”. The Southern Wells’ “New Horizons” was the final group on stage, and performed “Rockin The Paradise”, “The Best of Times’ and “Somebody To Love.”   

 

Mayor Ted Ellis performed emcee duties.

 

Street Fair Grand Marshall Joe Emshwiller again tabulated the judges scores and assisted with the presentation of  the trophies. Following the move to Muncie of Joe’s regular partner, his brother Ned, his son John assisted with the tabulation. 

 

More photos and video from the contest will be posted on our “Street Fair” blog.

Joel Cash Set to Defend "Street Fair Idol" Title

This year’s Street Fair Idol finalists have been chosen. 

 

Auditions were held Sunday evening in the main auditorium at Life Church, and judges Greg Ashley and Cain Bilbrey and stand-in judge Jeanette Lundeen had a tough time whittling the final number down to just 10 from contestants who ranged in age from 17 to 43.  

 

Last year’s winner Joel Cash of Marion (pictured above) is back, but he is the sole survivor from last year’s final. Joining Cash on the stage will be Paul Wickey of Linn Grove, Karen Miller of Bluffton, Aaron Wood of Bluffton, Jordan Streveler of Bluffton, Kinzey Fennig of Bryant, Daryl Elliott of Bluffton, Suzanne Aschliman of Craigville, Melissa "Missy" Nolan of Bluffton and Peggy Crow of Bluffton. 

Nolan (formerly Bluffton and currently Norwell) and Streveler (formerly Bluffton) are both show choir "veterans" - if they don't mind me using that term - from recent years.   

 

The winner will receive a cash prize of $700, while second and third placed performers will receive $300 and $200. The competition is sponsored by the Bluffton Street Fair Association. 

 

The competition will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday on the main stage on West Washington Street. Jerry Batiste will be there covering the event for the News-Banner. 

Norwell tops Class C, Bluffton second in Class D at Dekalb

Rain and lightning might have interrupted the show but it couldn’t stop Norwell’s Marching Knights from continuing on their winning way in marching band competition at Dekalb Saturday. 

Norwell again won the caption awards for Best Music, Best Visual and Best General Effects on their  way to winning the Class C division. 

Bluffton’s Bengal Brigade contested Class D at Dekalb, placing second behind Woodlan. Bluffton also picked up the Best Visual caption award. 

The results are as follows:

Class C:

1st – Norwell

2nd – Concordia

3rd – Heritage

Best Music – Norwell

Best Visual – Norwell

Best General Effect – Norwell

Participation Awards – Bellmont, Bishop Dwenger, Garrett and New Haven.

Class D:

1st – Woodlan

2nd – Bluffton

3rd – Eastside

Best Music – Woodlan

Best Visual – Bluffton

Best General Effect – Woodlan

Norwell travel to East Noble Saturday. Bluffton’s next competition will be the District Championships at Homestead on Oct. 2.  

Schedule for Thursday's Street Fair Show Choir Contest

7:30 p.m. Norwell

7:45 p.m. Northrop Girls

8 p.m. New Castle

8:15 p.m. Dekalb Girls

8:30 p.m. Bluffton

8:45 p.m. Northrop

9 p.m. Dekalb

9:15 p.m. East Noble

9:30 Southern Wells

Norwell, Bluffton and Southern Wells are all co-hosts, and therefore will be providing exhibition performances.   

Last year, as bad weather forced the competition indoors to Life Church, Northrop ended Dekalb's streak of wins. Will Dekalb get revenge this year, or will someone else step up? 

BHS Marching Band

Frank Shanly was there when Bluffton High School Marching Band took to the field for the 'On the Banks of the Wabash' competition on Saturday.

Bluffton's Show Choir Boosted by Wal-Mart Grant

Bluffton's show choir program received a helping hand from Wal-Mart in the form of a $500 grant toward their season expenses. Pictured holding the check are, front row from left, Lexie Garrett, Taylor Coratti, Jenna Feeback, Kristan Brinneman and Aja Hurst; back row from left, Lizvette Echevarria, Caitie Campbell, Aaron Carr, Show Choir Director Elyse Breeding, Donald Mock, Chelsea Elliott and Vanessa Young. 

The show choir will open its season with an exhibition performance at Street Fair Thursday evening (Sept. 23). Other events on the calendar include: 

- Saturday, Oct. 16: Mini show choir camp will be offered to students in grades K-5 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

- Wednesday, Oct. 20: "Fall Show" at the high school at 6 p.m.  Candy and cookie dough sales will also help funding. 

- Wednesday, Dec. 15: The Christmas performance will be on December 15^th at the high school. 

- Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30: Dinner theatre will be presented.

- Wednesday, May 4: "Spring Concert" 

The choir competition schedule is still to be announced.

Thanks to Suzanne Feeback for the  photo and information. 

Norwell Videos From "On The Banks of the Wabash"

Photos from "On the Banks of the Wabash" - Class C (#2 of 2)

Here we have Concordia (bottom) and several Norwell.  

Photos from "On the Banks of the Wabash" - Class C (#1 of 2)

Bands shown, from the top, are Heritage, Bishop Dwenger, Garrett, New Haven and Wayne. 

 

Photos from "On the Banks of the Wabash" - Class D

Competing bands, from the top, are Woodlan, Adams Central, Eastern, Eastside, and Hicksville.

 

Bluffton and Norwell Bands to Compete at Dekalb Saturday

Both the Bengal Brigade and the Marching Knights will compete at Dekalb Saturday, contesting Class D and Class C respectively. 

The schedule for Dekalb's competition is as follows: 

Class D
4:00 PM - Hicksville (OH)
4:12 PM - Eastside
4:24 PM - Bluffton
4:36 PM - Woodlan

Class C
4:48 PM - Bellmont
5:00 PM - Garrett
5:12 PM - New Haven
5:24 PM - Bishop Dwenger
5:36 PM - Heritage
5:48 PM - Concordia
6:00 PM - Norwell

Awards for both classes will follow Norwell's performance. 

Weather Fails to Dampen Enthusiasm at Bluffton's "On the Banks of the Wabash"

Norwell’s “Ripple Effect” turned into something of a wave Saturday evening as they scooped the Class C awards at Bluffton’s 33rd annual “On The Banks of the Wabash” marching band competition. (Pictured above with the trophies are Emily Easley, Kelsey Ahrens and Kaylee Stauffer). 

 

The Marching Knights picked up all three caption awards - General Effect, Best Music and Best Visual - on their way to top place in their division, outpointing Concordia, Heritage, Bishop Dwenger, Garrett, New Haven and Wayne. 

 

In all, 20 bands contested four classes, with Bluffton’s “Bengal Brigade” performing an exhibition of their season’s competition routine just prior to the final  awards. 

 

Indeed, in all four classes, the class winner also swept the caption awards. Woodlan dominated Class D, while Dekalb (Class B) and Homestead (Class A) ensured shut-outs in their respective divisions also.  

 

Homestead was named  2010 Grand Champion, scoring the most points across all four classes.  

 

The weather was less than ideal, with bleak skies and damp air throughout the afternoon. By 9 p.m., with Class B still in progress, and Class A yet to come, a mist began to compete for possession of Fred Park Field field, and by the end of competition, it was only possible to hear the fans on the far side.    

 

At the end of the competition, Bluffton’s Bengal Brigade performed an exhibition of the “Quest” routine they will take to competitions this season.  

 

Bluffton-Harrison Schools Superintendant Wayne Barker presented the awards in all four classes, assisted by Bluffton drum majors Shelby Sark and Katie Thompson.  

 

Full results from “On The Banks of the Wabash” are as follows:

Class A: 

1st — Homestead.

2nd — Carroll.

3rd — Northrop.

4th — Snider.

5th — Huntington North. 

Visual — Homestead.

Music — Homestead. 

General Effect — Homestead.

Class B: 

1st — DeKalb.

2nd — East Noble.

3rd — Columbia City.

Visual — Dekalb.

Music — Dekalb.

General Effect — Dekalb.

 

Class C: 

1st — Norwell.

2nd — Concordia.

3rd — Heritage.

4th — Bishop Dwenger.

5th – Garrett.

6th – New Haven.

7th – Wayne.

Visual —Norwell.

Music — Norwell.

General Effect — Norwell.

Class D: 

1st — Woodlan.

2nd — Eastern

3rd – Adams Central.

4th — Eastside.

5th – Hicksville

Visual — Woodlan.

Music — Woodlan.

General Effect — Woodlan.

Photos and video from the event will be posted here over the next few days.

Bluffton Hosts "On The Banks of the Wabash" Saturday

It’s marching band season once again!

 

And in Bluffton, that means its time for the annual “On The Banks of the Wabash” spectacular at Fred Park Stadium.

 

A total of 20 bands will compete in four classes this year, with the event sponsored by the Bluffton Band Boosters, and is their biggest fundraising event of the year. 

 

The Indiana State School Music Association organizes marching band contests into four classes (A, B, C, and D) with A being for the largest schools. 

 

The Norwell Marching Knights compete in Class C and will perform at 7:19 p.m. this year. 

 

The Bluffton Bengal Brigade competes in Class D but as host school, will only be giving an exhibition performance Saturday. The Bengal Brigade (led by Shelby Sark - left, in the picture above - and Katie Thompson) is scheduled to take the field at 10:21 p.m., prior to the final awards ceremony. 

 

Admission is $6.00 for adults and $4.00 for senior citizens and students. Admission is free for Bluffton students. 

 

The gates will open at 3:30 p.m., with competition set to commence at 4:30 p.m., after a short 9/11 commemoration ceremony.

 

The event is expected to continue until approximately 11 p.m. 

 

Concessions will be available at Fred Park Stadium as well as at the middle school. Spectators are encouraged to park at the middle school. Spectator parking will not be allowed in any high school parking lot due to the use of those lots for participating band buses and trailers.

 

The competing bands and their performance times are:

Class D: 

4:43 p.m. — Hicksville 

4:56 p.m. — Eastside

5:09 p.m. — Eastern

5:22 p.m. – Adams Central

5:35 p.m. — Woodlan

 

Class C: 

6:01 p.m. — Wayne

6:14 p.m. — New Haven

6:27 p.m. — Garrett

6:40 p.m. — Bishop Dwenger

6:53 p.m. — Heritage

7:06 p.m. — Concordia

7:19 p.m. — Norwell

 

Awards:

Class D & C awards will take place at the conclusion of Class C. 

 

Class B: 

8:37 p.m. — East Noble

8:50 p.m. — Columbia City

9:03 p.m. — DeKalb

 

Class A: 

9:16 p.m. — Huntington North

9:29 p.m. — Northrop

9:42 p.m. — Snider

9:55 p.m. — Carroll

10:08 p.m. — Homestead

 

Exhibition:

10:21 p.m. — Bluffton

 

Awards:

Class A and Class B awards will be presented after the exhibition performance by Bluffton High School’s Bengal Brigade. 

Montpelier Jamboree brings the hits

Spike and the Bulldogs opened the 2010 Montpelier Jamboree and rock band Jackyl closed it out on Sunday.