Marching Mustangs stampede to 1st place trophy

Rolling Meadows High School's Marching Mustangs brought home the 1st place overall, Best Color Guard and Best Winds trophies Sept. 27 at St. Rita High School's Mustang Stampede Marching Band Contest in Chicago.

Also, in Class AA, the RMHS Color Guard score was the highest of all 12 schools competing.

The band also earned the highest scores for Music Individual, Visual Ensemble and Visual General Effect for the entire contest.

With all scores combined, RMHS came in a close second to Glenbrook South High School (Class AAA) for the Grand Championship, missing by only one point.

Christopher Buti, director of the RMHS Marching Mustangs, said, "Our goal is that every time we take the field, it is the best performance of the season to date.

"Sunday's performance was definitely a season best."

The entire ensemble looks forward to continuing to make the show stronger as the season continues. The Mustangs' show is titled, "The Rise and Fall of Rome" and features the following musical selections: "Chisels and Stone," "Catacombs," and "Pagan Dance and the Great Fire."

The exciting and powerful music is enhanced by complex drill maneuvers, colorful flag choreography, Roman column props and other dramatic effects.

The ensemble is directed by student drum majors Maddie Conlin, Joe Palmer and Anna Tam.

Other staff includes: Michael Riggs (assistant band director), Dan Bertermann (percussion) and Laura Bertermann (drum majors and marching).

The next performance of the show will be at the Homecoming Football game on Oct. 9.

For more information about the RMHS Bands, contact the band office at (847) 718-5752 or visit rollingmeadowsband.com.