Knight of Champions to showcase marching bands
The Prospect Marching Knights will host 24 bands from two states at the 16th annual Knight Of Champions marching band competition on Saturday, Oct. 8.
Bands will perform from 2:30-9:30 p.m. at Gattas Memorial Stadium, Prospect High School, 801 W. Kensington Road, Mount Prospect. Gates open at 1 p.m.
High school marching bands expected to attend the competition are, in order of performance: Elgin High School; Sandwich; Wheaton North; Reavis; Providence Catholic; Lincoln-Way West; Alan B. Shepard; Herscher; Batavia; Naperville Central; Downers Grove South; Wheaton Warrenville South; Waubonsie Valley; Oak Park-River Forest; Lincoln-Way Central; Elk Grove; Lakes Community; Davenport Central; Maine West; Lemont; Romeoville; Plainfield North; Lincoln-Way East and John Hersey.
The Prospect Marching Knights will give an exhibition performance at the conclusion of the competition.
Bands will compete in three classes:
Ÿ A (up to 64 members)
Ÿ AA (65 to 96 members)
Ÿ AAA (97 or more)
Awards will be given for first, second and third place in all three classes. Additional awards given in each class are Outstanding Percussion, Outstanding Auxiliary, Outstanding Music, Outstanding Visual and Outstanding General Effect; and an overall Grand Champion traveling trophy will be awarded.
Tickets for Knight of Champions are $10; $7 for seniors (65 and older) and students. Children 4 and under are free. A four-member family pass is $25.
For information, including a complete performance schedule, visit www.prospectband.com.
“We're very pleased to host a full house this year,” said Chris Barnum, Prospect High School's director of bands. “Students from all participating high schools work hard to put on a great show for the Knight of Champions audience.”
“We invite everyone to join us on Oct. 8 to see the result of these students' hard work and dedication,” said Andy Loeffler, Knight of Champions co-coordinator.
Meanwhile, Prospect Marching Knights success continues. The band won the AAA category at the Oct. 1 Red & Black Fall Classic held at NIU. They were the grand champions of the Chicagoland Marching Band Festival at Wheeling High School on Sept. 24, and captured first place at the Lancer Joust Marching Band Competition at Lake Park High School on Sept. 10.
This year's show, entitled “Leonardo's Dream,” features music by Eric Whitacre and Malcolm Arnold.
“This win felt great — and we're excited to keep working to meet the challenges of our future competitions,” said Prospect senior John Desai, tenor saxophone section leader of the Marching Knights.
He noted that the band enjoyed performing on Wheeling High School's artificial turf. “It was a lot easier than grass — you can see the technique better, and you have more of a spring in your step.”