SOSU hosts John Parnell Memorial Band Contest Saturday
Press Release Date: September 26, 2006
Southeastern Oklahoma State University proudly presents the second-annual John Parnell Memorial Marching Band Contest Saturday, Sept. 30, at Paul Laird Field.
Parnell was a long-time band director at Durant (Okla.) High School and Sherman (Texas) High School. He passed away in July 2005 and this event is named in his honor. He was posthumously inducted into the Oklahoma Bandmasters Hall of Fame in July 2006.
SOSU Director of Bands David Christy said, “We are thrilled to host this exciting event on our campus. We will have 25 bands here, plus Durant High School and Southeastern. We’re expecting approximately 2,000 band students and a total of perhaps 3,000 people here for the contest.”
Along with Durant High and Southeastern, bands from across the state will be represented with five Texas schools also registered. This makes it a grand total of 27 bands.
The contest begins at 9:15 a.m. with the finals at 7 p.m. The awards ceremony is scheduled for 9:45 p.m. The 25 bands will compete during the day for the 10 finalist spots.
The event has grown from 14 bands a year ago to almost double that number for this year.
Bands range in size from S&S Consolidated (Texas) with 22 members to Sallisaw, Okla., and Charles Page High School of Sand Springs, Okla., with 105 each.
Christy said, “This is an exciting event for the Southeastern band program. We’re pleased to be able to host the contest and attract such a quality group of entries. There is no admission charge and we encourage everybody who enjoys marching bands to come out and join the fun.”
Trophies will be given in two classes: small schools (Classes A and AA) and large schools (Classes AAA, AAAA and AAAAA). Competition categories are Color Guard, Drum Line, Marching Execution, Horn Line.
One award will be presented to the Outstanding Drum Major.
Awards for first, second and third places will be given in each class based upon preliminary performances.
Finalist trophies will be given for 1st to 10th place and based solely on finals performance.
Judging will be on music ensemble and execution; marching and visual execution; general effect; percussion; and color guard and auxiliary.
Contest judges are Brian Britt and Jeff Janhke of the University of Oklahoma; Harry Blake of DeSoto, Texas, High School; Mickey Owens and Robin Owens of Richardson ISD, Richardson, Texas; Matt Neal of North Lamar High School, Paris, Texas; and Jerry Cooper of Oktaha, Okla., High School.
The Durant High Band Boosters will have a concession stand across the street from the stadium. They will also be selling T-shirts.
Southeastern’s Marching Band will present an exhibition at 4:45 p.m. Saturday and Durant High’s Marching Band will perform at 9:30 p.m., just ahead of the awards presentation.
Christy said, “We urge all fans to come out, support these young band students and help us make this the premier Marching Band Contest in the state. The John Parnell Memorial Marching Band Contest is free to the public. Some of these competitions now have an admission charge, but we want to give something back to the parents and fans who support these band students.”
