4 Cobb High School Bands Finish in Top Group at Regional Competition

Four Cobb County high school marching bands finished among the top performing bands at the Bands of America regional championships held at Jacksonville State University Oct. 29. The competition included nearly 30 high school marching bands from six southeastern states.

Bands were judged in a preliminary competition during the day, with the top 12 selected for a finals performance. Cobb County bands reaching finals and their overall competition placement included:

5th place, Kennesaw Mountain High School. The band performed a rose-themed show entitled "La Vie En Rose." Musical selections included, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Stop and Smell the Roses, and This Love Becomes the Rose.

6th place, Harrison High School. Their "Midnight in Gotham" show featured an array of costumed villains from DC Comics’ Batman series, including Harley Quinn and Cat Woman in the Color Guard, a percussion section of Joker characters and the front pit dressed as the Riddler. A haunting soprano saxophone performance featured Poison Ivy emerging from a neon-colored hiding place, then strolling around and through the marching band ranks. Harrison's show music included Theme from Batman by Danny Elfman, Audivi Media Nocte by Oliver Waespe, Finale from Batman by Danny Elfman, Can’t Fight City Halloween by Michael Giacchino, Chase Noir from Batman Forever by Elliot Goldenthal, Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande, and Victory from Batman Forever by Elliot Goldenthal.

9th Place, Walton High School. Performing a show entitled "Ordinary/Extraordinary," musical selections included “Ordinary World” by Duran Duran; “Cambridge, 1963” by Johann Johannsson; “Machiavelli’s Conscience” by Michael Markowski; “Stroke of Genius: Picasso” by Lorne Balfe; “Extraordinary” by Brandon Smith.

12th place, Pope High School. Their show, Oodles of Doodles, included “Land of Make Believe” by Chuck Mangione; “The Marriage of Figaro” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; “Barber of Seville” by Gioachino Rossini; “Sabre Dance” by Aram Khachaturian; “Can-Can” by Jacques Offenbach; “Piano Concerto No. 2” by George Gershwin; “Ride of the Valkyries” by Richard Wagner; “William Tell Overture” by Gioachino Rossini; “1812 Overture” by Peter Tchaikovsky.

Two additional Cobb County High Schools, Hillgrove and McEachern, participated in the event during preliminary competition.

The overall competition was won by Dobyns-Bennett High School from Kingsport, TN. For complete results from preliminary and finals, click here.

Judges evaluate performances on music, visual and general effect categories. Under Band of America guidelines, the musical component of the show receives 60 percent of the judging value, with visual and general components accounting for the remainder.

Band shows also are subject to tightly controlled timelines. Bands have only four minutes to enter the field and complete set-up that includes marchers, pit instruments, sound equipment and all props. Then the bands perform their creative musical and choreographed performances, ranging from six to 11 minutes. Bands are allowed just two minutes upon completion to clear props and all marchers from the competition field. Points are deducted for any time violations.