Troy High School’s April McAllister, right, hugs a bandmate Saturday night after the THS marching band earned a Superior Rating I at the Hamilton High School Band Invitational. The Troy High School marching band is one of just four bands in the state to have earned a trip to state every year since the Ohio Music Education Association held its first state competition in 1980.
Courtesy | Troy City Schools
TROY — The tradition continues for the Troy High School marching band.
Since the Ohio Music Education Association held its first state competition in 1980, only four bands have qualified for state every year.
Troy is one of those four bands, and kept that streak alive Saturday night by earning a Superior Rating (an overall rating of I) at the Hamilton High School Band Invitational. That earned Troy the opportunity to compete at state the weekend of Oct. 28-29.
“Every year the band is different, the kids are different and you have different challenges,” Troy City Schools Director of Bands Molly Venneman said. “One of the challenges we have faced this year is the fact we have a younger band. Those younger students have come along quickly, and we’ve received great leadership from our older members. These students and all of our staff members have been working incredibly hard since the summer to make this happen. For us to get a 1 and earn a trip back to state to carry on the tradition is a tremendous reward for all of the hard work we’ve put in for the past four months.”
Venneman said the fact the band is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year makes the opportunity to compete at state even more special.
“We know we have a great band tradition here at Troy,” she said. “We are fortunate to have the support of the school, the administration, our band families, our volunteers and our community. The band members are aware of the tradition and want to make sure they uphold that tradition every year.”
Troy’s show this year is entitled, “On Wings of Beauty.” Troy will perform that show one more time in competition, Oct. 14 at Ohio Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University, before performing at state the final weekend of October. The state performance will be held at Piqua’s Alexander Stadium. The band also will continue to perform at Troy High School football games.
Troy will be looking to earn another Superior Rating at state, something it has done every year since 2000.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done,” Venneman said. “We cannot afford to coast. We have to keep working just as hard or harder to get ready for state. We have high expectations for ourselves every year, and we are willing to put in the work to accomplish those goals. It’s never easy, but it’s always worth it.”
