OCHS Marching Band Earns State Title, Top Score In School History

OAK CREEK, WI — The Oak Creek Marching Knights won their sixth straight Wisconsin Marching Band championship over the weekend, earning the best score in the band's history while pushing themselves to put forward a top show in 2019.

The 2019 Wisconsin School Music Association's State Marching Band Championships was held over the weekend on the UW—Whitewater campus. The competition featured more than 30 bands from across Wisconsin in a full day's worth of performances.

The Marching Knights program for 2019, Opera 101, included a variety of classical opera music in several styles. The program was structured in three parts: comedy, drama and passion. This year's program also featured several soloists and small ensembles to complement the band's full ensemble, and the music was arranged by one of the top arrangers in the industry.

"This program definitely challenged our students more than any other show we've done in the past. Our band has grown by leaps and bounds after working on this music," Amy Fuchs, Director of Bands at Oak Creek High School, said. "This was one of the first times we incorporated several costume changes with our colorguard, as well as a wide variety of equipment."

School officials say this year's performance may be the finest program in Oak Creek High School marching band history.

In the end, the 235-member marching band earned awards for their music, visual effect, colorguard and percussion. Overall, the band earned an overall score of 92.188, the highest score in school history.

"Our journey was challenging and rewarding and involved many staff, parents and students working tirelessly over the course of several months. We are eternally grateful to all the people who worked so hard to make this season a success," she said. "This season more than any other was definitely a lesson in delayed gratification. Students worked harder every single day until the very end to make their performance the best it could possibly be by the time they got to the State Championships."

The band is not resting on its laurels. The Oak Creek Marching Knights plan to apply this May for the 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.