GOSHEN —
On Saturday the Goshen High School Crimson Marching Band gave an outstanding performance of its show “Musica d’Organo” with musical selections “Coronation te Deum” by Sir William Walton, “Adagio for Strings and Organ” by Tomaso Albinoini and “Symphony No. 3 ‘Organ Symphony’” by Camille Saint-Saens.
The quality of that performance — under the direction of drum majors Lauren Detweiler, Jaron Kaufman, Alex Pobocik and Karis Neufield — on the floor of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis by 176 Goshen High School students earned the school a runner-up finish in Class B of the Indiana State School Music Association marching band state finals.
Bravo to each member of the Goshen Crimson Band and their families. The Goshen News is extremely proud of each of you, as well as GHS Band Director Tom Cox and his assistants Randy Grewell, Matt James, Takesha Stoll, Derrick Shannon, Mike Anderson, Becca Sullens, Adam Shull, Caryn Reynolds, Max Johnson, Charlie Westra, Dusty Coleman and Lauren Coleman.
It is amazing to us how strong our marching band programs have become in Elkhart County. In addition to Goshen, four other Elkhart County bands qualified for Saturday’s state finals. In Class B, Concord (the defending 2011 state champions) placed fifth while Northridge placed sixth. In Class C, NorthWood placed sixth and Fairfield placed seventh. Of the 20 bands to qualify in those two classes, 25 percent of them came from Elkhart County.
This season is the 25th anniversary of Goshen’s first state runner-up finish in 1987. The Crimson Marching Band matched that finish again in 2010. Therefore, twice in the past three years, Goshen has been on the cusp of its first Class B state championship. It is impressive how formidable Goshen’s marching band program has become under Band Director Tom Cox, picking up where former band director Dave Plank and his longtime assistant Max Mault left off. And we have no doubt that a first-place trophy is in Goshen’s near future.
The amount of work and preparation that building these shows and bolstering these programs requires is nearly unimaginable. The core of a state-caliber performance each year is rooted the elementary school programs where students often pick up an instrument for the first time. It continues to grow through the repetition and discovery of middle school and summer camps. Countless hours of practice and cultivation in high school blossom into a single show that each member can remember for the rest of their lives.
Congratulations Goshen, Concord, Northridge, NorthWood and Fairfield bands. You are all an example of what makes our community so very special.
Opinion
Related Photos
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Goshen band director Tom Cox celebrates with the marching band following their second place finish in Class B at the state band finals in Indianapolis Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012. SAM HOUSEHOLDER | THE GOSHEN NEWS
Goshen High School's Crimson marching band makes us proud
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