The sound of music is filling the air under the Friday night lights and Saturday competitions. The Tyrone Area High School Marching Band season is in full swing.  

This year’s show is entitled “The Elements.” Tyrone Band Director David Hock is excited for the show.

“I chose the theme first and then found some great music to fit that theme. It’s been a lot of fun planning this year’s theme and music. As always, the show is still developing as we go. I hope to achieve a truly engaging and entertaining show for our audiences this year, something the students are proud of, ” said Hock.

Tyrone will compete in group 1A of Chapter 11 again this season.

In the Tournament Of Bands competition grouping there are a total of four groups for competition season. Each group is based on the band’s size. In group 1A, a band must have no more than 30 musicians and a maximum of 30 color guard members. For a band in group 2A, the band will have between 31-50 musicians and a maximum of 50 color guard members. For group 3A, a band will have up to 51-75 musicians and a maximum of 75 color guard members. For a group 4A band, the band will have 76 or more band members and color guard members.

The Tyrone Golden Eagle Marching Band will perform Into The Clouds as the opener, the ballad this year is Shenandoah, the Earth section is a percussion feature, and the closer is Dies Irae.  

The Tyrone Marching band recently placed 3rd at the Chapter 11 preview show at Juniata Valley High School with a score of 75.695. The band performed two times throughout the day. The first performance was a clinic performance with only the TOB judges in attendance. The second performance was for the public.

The band’s next performance for Tyrone will be at St.Mary’s High School on September 17 at 2:45 pm.    

This competition schedule is as follows:

• Chapter 11 preview show at Juniata Valley – Saturday, September 10 (3rd Place)
• St. Mary’s High School – Saturday, September 17
• No competition(was Huntington HS)  – Saturday, September 24
• Music in the Valley Home Show at Gray Field – Saturday, October 1  
• Mechanicsburg High School – Saturday, October 8
• Dubois Area High School – Saturday, October 15
• Chapter 11 championships at IUP – Saturday, October 22
• Atlantic Coast Championships in Harrisburg – Saturday November 5

Most important to local fans is that Tyrone’s 2016 home show on October 1st at Gray Field. The show will begin at 6:00 pm. Currently there are seven bands registered for the competition.

Tyrone will perform last at the home show, but as the host, they will not be competing for points.

The section leaders for the 2016-2017 Tyrone Marching Band are: Trumpet leader, Senior Kara Mills; saxophone section leader Junior Rachel Robinson; guard captain, Junior Katelyn Richards; drum majors are junior Rebekah Schleppy and sophomore Ethan White. The band is under the direction of Mr. David Hock. Percussion instructor is Jake Morningstar and the guard instructor is Caitie O’Horo.