Western Carolina University

The Tuscola High School band from Waynesville, N.C., performs during the 2008 Tournament of Champions.

Twenty-two top high school marching bands from four states will assemble for Western Carolina University’s ninth annual Tournament of Champions, an invitational competition hosted by WCU’s award-winning Pride of the Mountains Marching Band, at E.J. Whitmire Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 10.

The high school musicians will be competing for various awards, including the prestigious Chancellor’s Award Trophy, a large glass traveling trophy that is presented to the grand champion band, and the North Carolina Roll of Honor, awarded to the highest scoring band from North Carolina.

“The Tournament of Champions has become one of the major marching band events in the entire Southeast,” said Bob Buckner, Pride of the Mountains Marching Band director. “Its tradition has become one of attracting bands that are very serious about competition. The show is so competitive that ‘making the night show’ now is recognized as a major accomplishment. The day is marked by drama, music and the excitement of seeing and hearing young people work together toward a single goal.”

The tournament-hosting Pride of the Mountains Marching Band is the 2009 recipient of the prestigious Sudler Trophy, the nation’s highest and most-coveted award for college and university marching bands. Western Carolina is the first institution in the state of North Carolina and the first member of the Southern Conference selected for the award, which has been called the “Heisman Trophy” of the collegiate marching band world. Past recipients of the honor include the universities of Texas, Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Alabama, and Ohio State, Louisiana State, Penn State and Auburn universities.

The Oct. 10 competition will consist of two sessions. Preliminaries will begin at 8 a.m. and continue through the day. The three class champions will be announced at 3:45 p.m., and the three class champs and the next seven highest scoring bands will advance to the finals. The finals competition will begin at 7 p.m.

The Pride of the Mountains Marching Band will perform its halftime show “Born to Be Alive” at 3 p.m., signifying the end of the preliminaries. The band will then play the national anthem at 6:45 p.m., and again perform “Born to Be Alive” at the end of the finals competition. 

Participating North Carolina bands (and towns where located) are Brevard, Pisgah (Canton), South Rowan (China Grove), East Lincoln (Denver), Chase (Forest City), Franklin, North Lincoln (Lincolnton), Marvin Ridge (Waxhaw), Tuscola (Waynesville) and North Buncombe (Weaverville).

Georgia high schools participating are Harrison (Kennesaw) and Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee).
South Carolina high schools participating are Boiling Springs, Clover, Nation Ford (Fort Mill), White Knoll (Lexington), North Augusta, Northwestern (Rock Hill) and Eastside (Taylors).

The Tennessee high schools participating are Volunteer (Church Hill), Science Hill (Johnson City) and Dobyns-Bennett (Kingsport).

Tickets are $10 for the preliminary competition. Tickets for the finals are $8 if purchased in advance or at the gate before 5 p.m., and are $10 if purchased after 5 p.m. Children under the age of 12 will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

For more information, call (828) 227-2259 or click on http://prideofthemountains.wcu.edu.

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Last modified: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009