In two weeks, the 2023 marching season will be in full swing for area high school bands. High school students and directors have been preparing since the end of the 2022-2023 school year for the Marching Season. Over the summer, students attended band camps, practiced their instruments at home, and worked on marching fundamentals at summer practices. As we look forward to the coming season, here is a quick preview of what each band has been working on and is preparing for the season. Our 2023 Friday Night Feature schedule is posted at the end of the article.
The Pride of Alma High School Band
The Pride of Alma is preparing for another stellar marching season. After winning the Bronze Medal at State, The Pride looks to continue the success of last season. The Alma Band will premier its 2023 Marching Show on September 1st at Home.
Waiting to hear back from the Band Program
Production Title:
Music Selection:
Marching Contests: Region VIII Marching Assessment, Northwest Arkansas
Invitational, and State Marching Championship
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Region Assessment, 2nd Place at
Northwest Arkansas Invitational, 1st Division Rating at State,
Bronze Medal in 5A State Championship
Classification: 5A
Booneville High School Bearcat Marching Band
The Booneville Band is counting down to the 2023 Marching Season. After placing 4th in 3A at the State Marching Contest, the band hopes to continue its progress into this season. You can catch the Booneville Band at its first performance on September 1st at Ozark. The Bearcat Band's first home performance will be on September 8th.
Production Title: "Clockwork"
Music Selection: Part 1 - "Wind Up"
Part 2 - "Clocks" by Coldplay
Part 3 - "Gears/Time Unending"
Marching Contests: Iron Horse Marching Contest, Region VIII Marching
Assessment, and State Marching Championship
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Region Assessment, 4th Place at 3A State
Championship
Number of Students: 50 members, 9th - 12th grade
Classification: 3A
Cedarville High School Pirated Marching Band
This year the Cedarville High School Pirate Band plans to continue its success from last year. The band is coming off a 1st Division Rating at Region Marching Assessment. Catch the Cedarville Pirate Band’s first performance of their 2023 Marching Show at home on September 1st.
Waiting to hear back from the Band Program
Production Title:
Music Selection:
Marching Contests: Region VIII Marching Assessment
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Region Assessment,
Classification: 3A
Charleston High School Tiger Marching Band
The Charleston Band is setting up for another great marching season. The Charleston Band will debut its 2023 Marching Show on September 1st at home.
Production Title: "The Music of Motown"
Featuring Hits by: "Get Ready" by The Temptations
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye
Marching Contests: Bulldog Invitational, and Region VIII Marching Assessment
Number of Students: 35 members, 9th - 12th grade
Classification: 3A
Fort Smith Northside Grizzly Marching Band
The Northside Grizzly Band is ready for another year of tradition and excellence. Last season, the Grizzlies earned First Division at the Region Assessment. You can catch the Grizzly Band as it debuts its 2023 Marching Show at Fort Smith Southside on August 25th.
Production Title: "Ofrenda: Celebracion De Vida!"
Music Selection: "Mass (from La Fiesta Mexicana)"
"La Llorona"
"Dance Macabre"
"Remember Me"
"Danzon No. 2"
Marching Contests: Dale Bumpers Marching Invitational (Possibly)
Region VIII Marching Assessment
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Region Assessment
Classification: 7A
Number of Students: 195 members
Northside Freshmen Grizzly Band
The Northside Freshmen Band is under the direction of Ms Gabby Chandler. Last season, the Freshmen band earned First Division at the Region Marching Assessment. The Freshmen Grizzly Band will be debuting their show at home on Monday, August 21st.
Waiting to hear back from the Band Program
Production Title:
Music Selection:
Marching Contests: Region VIII Marching Assessment
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Region Assessment
Fort Smith Southside Maverick Marching Band
The Maverick Band is in its second year under Ralph Brody. Last season, Southside earned First Division at the Region Marching Assessment. The Mavericks will debut their 2023 Marching Show at Home on August 25th.
Waiting to hear back from the Band Program
Production Title:
Music Selection:
Marching Contests: Region VIII Marching Assessment
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Region Assessment
Classification: 7A
Southside Freshmen Maverick Band
The Southside Freshmen Band is under the direction of Mr. James Palmer. Last season, the Freshmen band earned First Division at the Region Marching Assessment. The Freshmen Maverick Band will be debuting their show at home on Monday, August 21st.
Production Title: "The Beach Boys"
Music Selection: "Fun, Fun, Fun"
"Kokomo"
"I Get Around"
Marching Contests: Region VIII Marching Assessment
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Region Assessment
Number of Students: 85 members
Greenwood Bulldog Marching Band
The Greenwood Bulldog Band is excited about the upcoming marching season. Having received a 1st Division at the Region Marching Assessment and placing 8th in 6A State, Greenwood hopes to improve this season. Greenwood will premier its 2023 Marching Show on August 25th at Home.
Production Title: "Magic Carpet Ride"
Music Selection: "Magic Carpet Ride"
"Genie in a Bottle"
"Walk Like an Egyptian"
"Night in Tunisia"
"Danse Bachanalle"
Marching Contests: Power Band Classic, Legacy Marching Invitational, Region
VIII Marching Assessment, and State Marching
Championship
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Region Assessment, 8th Place in 6A State
Championship
Number of Students: 140 members, 9th - 12th grade
Classification: 6A
Hackett Hornet Marching Band
The Hackett Band is coming off yet again another successful season. In 2022, the Band placed 2nd overall at The Bulldog Marching Invitational, received a 1st Division Rating at Regional Marching Assessment, and placed 6th overall in the 3A State Championship. The Hackett Band will be debuting their show on September 1st at Home.
Waiting to hear back from the Band Program
Production Title:
Music Selection:
Marching Contests: Dale Bumpers Marching Contest, Bulldog Marching
Invitational, Region VIII Marching Assessment, and State
Marching Championship
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Dale Bumpers, 1st Division Rating and
Silver Medal at Bulldog Invitational, 2nd Division Rating at
Region Assessment and 6th Place in the 3A State
Championship
Classification: 3A
Lavaca Golden Arrow Marching Band
The Lavaca Band has been hard at work this summer. After receiving a 2nd Division rating at Region Marching Assessment, Lavaca hopes to continue growing this season. The Lavaca Band will premier its 2023 Marching Show at home on September 1st at home.
Production Title: "Western Show"
Music Selection: "Magnificent Seven"
"The Good, The Band, and The Ugly"
"The Ring of Fire"
"Riders on the Storm"
Marching Contests: Dale Bumpers and Region VIII Marching Assessment
2022 Accolades: 2nd Division Rating at Region Assessment
Number of Students: 57 members, 9th - 12th grade
Classification: 3A
Magazine High School Marching Band
Last year the Magazine Band put on its shoulder pads and brought the boom to the field. The Football inspired show had the crowd cheering and shaking their cowbells. I cannot wait to see what the Magazine band has in store for this year's Marching Show. The Magazine Band will travel to Mansfield on August 25th to debut its 2023 Marching Show.
Music Selection: "El Tiberon", "Into the Light", and "Miserlou"
Marching Contests: Dale Bumpers and Region VIII Marching Assessment
2022 Accolades: 2nd Division Rating at Dale Bumpers and 3rd Division Rating
at Region Assessment
Number of Students: 11 members, 8th - 12th grade
Classification: 2A
Mansfield High School Tiger Marching Band
The Mansfield Band is entering its second year under the direction of Mr. Bryce Langley. Personally, I am excited to see the improvements the Mansfield Band makes this year. You can catch the Mansfield Band’s show premiere on August 25th at home.
Waiting to hear back from the Band Program
Production Title:
Music Selection:
Marching Contests: Dale Bumpers, Bulldog Invitational, Region VIII Marching
Assessment, and Iron Horse Classic
2022 Accolades: 2nd Division Rating at Dale Bumpers, 2nd Division Rating at
Bulldog Invitational, 2nd Division Rating at Iron Horse Classic,
and 3rd Division Rating at Region Assessment
Classification: 3A
Mountainburg High School Band of Dragons
The Mountainburg Band is ready for another great season. The Mountainburg Band will kick off their Marching season on September 1st at Home.
Production Title: "Dark Night"
Music Selection: "Paint it Black"
"Dark Horse"
"Baba Yaga"
Marching Contests: Bulldog Invitational and Region VIII Marching Assessment
2022 Accolades: 2nd Division Rating at Dale Bumpers, 2nd Division Rating at
Bulldog Invitational, and 2nd Division Rating at Region
Assessment
Number of Students: 25 members, 9th - 12th grade
Classification: 2A
Ozark High School Hillbilly Marching Band
The Ozark Band is under the direction of Dr Danielle Hodges. She comes to Ozark with more than 20 years of education experience. She has taught at Clarksville, Dardanelle, and Little Rock Christian Academy, and was the Director of Bands for Central Baptist College.
Last year the Ozark Band placed 9th in 4A State but they hope to improve this season. You can catch the Ozark Band's 2023 Marching Show at Clarksville on August 25th.
Production Title: "LOCOmotion"
Music Selection: "The Great Locomotive Chase"
"Homeward Bound"
"Beethoven's Fifth"
"Crazy Train"
Marching Contests: Region VIII Marching Assessment, and State Marching
Championship
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Region Assessment
Number of Students: 55 members, 9th - 12th grade
Classification: 4A
Paris High School Eagle Marching Band
The Paris Band is ready for another great Marching season this Fall. The band will debut their 2023 Marching Show at home on August 25th.
Production Title: "Agent 54"
Music Selection: "Agent 54"
Marching Contests: Dale Bumpers, Bulldog Invitational, Region VIII Marching
Assessment, and State Marching Championship
2022 Accolades: 2nd Division Rating at Region Assessment,
Number of Students: 30 members, 9th - 12th grade
Classification: 3A
Van Buren Pointer Pride Marching Band
The Van Buren Pointer Pride Band has been hard at work this summer. The 2022 6A State Marching Champions are preparing to defend their title again this season. Lake Hamilton and Siloam Springs are also looking to capture that 6A State Championship. It will be a close competition this year, so keep an eye on how things play out this season.
Van Buren will debut its 2023 Marching Show on August 24th at Home.
Production Title: "The Bride"
Music Selection: Featuring the Music of Richard Wagner, J. S. Bach, Giuseppe
Verdi, Billy Idol, and Lady Gaga
Marching Contests: Region VIII Marching Assessment and State Marching
Championship
2022 Accolades: 1st Division Rating at Region Assessment, Branson Invitational
Champions, NWA Invitational Champions
6A State Champions, 1st Division Rating at State, High Visual in 6A State
Championship, High Music in 6A State Championship
Classification: 6A
Van Buren Freshmen Pointer Band
Waiting to hear back from the Band Program
Production Title:
Music Selection:
Number of Students: members
Waldron High School Bulldog Marching Band
The Waldron Band is coming off a great season. Waldron took its 2022 Marching Show, "Out of This World", to State for the first time in program history and placed 8th in 4A. I cannot wait to see how the Bulldog Band improves this season. The Bulldog Band will premier their 2023 Marching Show on August 25th at Paris.
Production Title: "The Flip Side of Disco"
Music Selection: "Blame It On The Boogie"
"Boogie Fever"
"Shake Your Groove Thing"
"Let's Groove"
Marching Contests: Dale Bumpers, Region VIII Marching Assessment, River
Valley Marching Contest, and State Championship
2022 Accolades: 2nd Place at Dale Bumpers, 1st Division Rating at Region
Assessment, and 8th Place at 4A State Marching Championship
Number of Students: 34 members, 9th - 12th grade
Classification: 4A
2023 Friday Night Feature Schedule:
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