17 Marching Bands Descend on Trenton High School Saturday

Get ready to stomp your feet and clap along with the beat during the 23rd Annual Trenton High School Marching Band Invitational this weekend.

Trenton's own 171-member group will join 17 visiting marching bands as they go up against one another in the Scholastic Band Association Competition, one of the largest shows in the state this year.


Schools scheduled to attend include Chippewa Valley, Dearborn Crestwood, Dundee, Farmington, Flat Rock, Gibraltar Carlson, Grosse Ile, John Glenn, Livonia Franklin, Ortonville Brandon, Redford Thurston, Roseville, St. Claire Shores Lakeview, Taylor Kennedy, Taylor Truman, Woodhaven, and Wyandotte Roosevelt.

Trenton's Arthurs Middle School band will open the competition at 2 p.m. with its rendition of the National Anthem. Then each band participating in the competition will perform a 7- to 8-minute show.

Awards ceremonies will be held at 4:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Around 6:30 p.m., the Wyandotte Marching Chiefs from neighboring Roosevelt High School will take to the field to perform their show titled A Brave New World. Roosevelt Director of Instrumental Music Mark D'Angelo says the set is a 120-year celebration of Dvorak's New World Symphony from 1893.

Those who attend the Roosevelt football game against Allen Park Friday night will get a preview of the excitement.

Before the final awards ceremony, the Trenton Marching Band will close out the roster with its California Dreamin'-themed show which it has been performing at its own home football games since August.

The musical set is what the Trojans' Director of Bands Mike Kurilko refers to as "images of the Golden State" and includes songs such as "Surfer Girl" by the Beach Boys and Randy Newman's "I Love L.A.".

"It's like a theater production on the field to see a competitive marching band perform," said Kuilko. "You'll see high school kids performing at their highest ability; it's a very spectacular event."

Likewise, D'Angelo encourages family members, friends, neighbors and more to join in on the fun with the crowd this weekend.

"All of the support that we can get in the stands helps the students be at their best," he said.

All proceeds generated at Saturday's invitational will go directly into the band programs at both Trenton High School and Arthurs Middle School.

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