The Marion Patriot Pride Marching Band took fourth place out of 13 6A bands at the Arkansas State Marching Band Contest, held Monday at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
This marks the highest finish for the Marion band in the 7-year existence of the state band contest.
“It was an amazing day as our students performed at an extremely high level,” said Monty Hill, Marion director of bands. “Being named to a top-four finish is a testament to the hard work these kids have demonstrated the entire season.”
Monday’s strong finish was the latest in a string of standout showing for the Patriot Pride. Over three weekends in October, the band captured three Grand Championships, winning the Mid-South Marching Classic on October 8, the West Memphis Classic on October 15, and the A-State Open on October 22. The band also earned straight First Division Ratings at the Region Marching Assessment on October 25.
The band will wrap up its competitive marching season on Saturday, competing at the U.S. Bands Southern State Championships in Huntsville, Ala. Marion will be the only band from Arkansas at the event; other bands will be from Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. The contest will feature a prelims/final format, with Marion’s prelim performance scheduled for 2:15 p.m. Additional information about the event can be found here.
At Monday’s state competition, Marion finished behind only traditional 6A powerhouse bands, Van Buren, Lake Hamilton, and Siloam Springs. The complete 6A order of finish is as follows:
- Van Buren
- Lake Hamilton
- Siloam Springs
- Marion
- Green County Tech
- Mountain Home
- Benton
- Greenwood
- Sheridan
- Sylvan Hills
- Searcy
- Greenbrier
The band’s show this year is titled “Galileo, Galileo.” The show depicts two days in the life of the famous astronomer Galileo from the year 1610. The music includes “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Planets,” and “Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd.
The Marion School District is an innovative and growing district committed to helping every student find their unique path to success in school and in life. With more than 150 years of experience serving families in Crittenden County, the district offers a high school, a junior high, and three award-winning magnet schools. For enrollment information, including information on school choice, visit https://www.msd3.org/ or call 870-739-5100.