Marching Bands

Marching toward victory

Jon Meyer
jmeyer@idahopress.com

Sunday, October 14th, 2007
Nampa High School musicians marched toward victory as the overall winner of the Treasure Valley Festival of Bands Saturday, taking home the big trophy as well as leaving as 5A large band champions.

The festival was as big as ever even though a few annual competitors were not present. Hundreds of parents, fans and spectators showed up for the all-day event at Vallivue High School, concluded by a large exhibition display by the hosting Vallivue band.

While Nampa took sweepstakes honors, Caldwell placed second in the 5A large category. Borah High School took home the top 5A small band honors against three fiercely competing teams.

In the largest field, Fruitland beat out four competitors to take the 4A category. Weiser High School received the 3A title, besting two competitors.

CALDWELL— For years the Treasure Valley Festival of Bands has been a staple in local marching competition, drawing groups large and small that might not otherwise get to compete against each another.

The event, which annually draws anywhere from 12 to 18 bands and hundreds of spectators, started as a small Snake River Valley Conference competition, but changed form as teams left that conference over time, Vallivue band director Curt Griffiths said. Now it functions as a warm-up for some bands for the Idaho District III Marching Band competition.

This year’s District III contest will be Saturday at Bronco

Stadium.

“It really gives opportunities,” he said. “Even to bands that don’t get the chance to go to the District III (contest).”

Fourteen bands came to Vallivue to compete this year, slightly down from what many spectators have come to know because of competitions elsewhere that drew some teams away. That fact didn’t detract what Griffiths called “a perfect day for a marching band competition.”

Among local bands placing at the competition, Nampa and Caldwell took first and second overall, respectively, in the 5A large band competition. Boise High School placed third in 5A small band marching and Meridian High School came in fourth. Fruitland, Skyview and Kuna high schools went one, two and three in the 4A rankings.

In the auxiliary competition, Nampa took first and Caldwell second in 5A large. Meridian took first in 5A small and Boise took home fourth. In 4A Kuna won, followed by Fruitland and Middleton, with Skyview in fourth.

In the percussion competition, Nampa and Caldwell placed first and second respectively in their division. Meridian took second behind Capital in 5A small. Skyview won in 4A, with Fruitland coming in second.

At the end of the competition, Vallivue High School, which as the hosting team does not compete for honors, put on an exhibition performance for the crowd, showing the pride that can come with being part of a marching band.