The Swinney Conservatory of Music’s 55th annual Band Day will welcome thousands of high school musicians once again to the campus of Central Methodist University and downtown Fayette on Saturday, October 12.
A total of 45 high school bands are expected to compete over the course of the day, which will begin with the parade competition at 9:30 a.m. Bands will also participate in the field competition at Davis Field and in the indoor drum line and color guard competitions in Puckett Field House. Field performances will begin at 11:30 a.m., drum lines will begin performing at 10 a.m., and color guard performances will start at 11:20 a.m.
CMU students, faculty, and staff will be able to enter the field and indoor competitions for free, but a $3 admission will be applied for other adult visitors.
The Sound of Central Marching Band will perform on the field at 2:15 p.m., followed by Class 1 and 2 awards. Class 3 awards will be distributed at 5:15, and Class 4 and 5 awards will go out at 8 p.m., following another Sound of Central performance.
Schools in each class scheduled to compete include:
Class 1 – Bunceton, Brashear, Brunswick, Chamois, Glasgow, Hardin Central, Keytesville, Meadville, New Franklin, Norborne, North Shelby, Orrick, and Slater.
Class 2 – Brookfield, Eugene, Fayette, Gallatin, Harrisburg, Louisiana, Marceline, Mid-Buchanan, Pleasant Hope, Salisbury, Sherwood Cass, Smithton, Tipton, and Westran.
Class 3 – Blair Oaks, California, Centralia, Eldon, Hallsville, Macon, Maryville, and Southern Boone.
Class 4 – Affton, Fulton, Grandview, Hannibal, Kirksville, Mexico, and William Chrisman.
Class 5 – Muriel W. Battle, Glendale, and Waynesville.
Several bands competing will be led by directors counted among Central Methodist alumni. Those directors include Susan Bishop (Brunswick), John Critchlow (Keytesville), Shelby Rogers (Meadville), Daniel Long (Norborne), Casey McDonald (Eugene), Rose Wilburn (Louisiana), Paul Weissenborn (Mid-Buchanan), Michael Williams (Salisbury), Tiffany Hankins (Sherwood Cass), J. West (Hallsville),
Bill Wells (Affton), Kelly Neudecker (Fulton), Michael Fuller (Hannibal), Josh Yancey (Mexico), Joe Sisco (William Chrisman), Alex Kirby (Fayette), Lisa Dobbs (New Franklin), and Jim Stockmann (Waynesville).