The band competed in the Cavalcade of Bands marching band championships last month and took fourth place
Last month, the Cinnaminson Marching Band headed to Hershey to compete in the Cavalcade of Bands championships and wound up in fourth place with an overall score of 92.5.
At the championships, the bands in Cinnaminson’s division were divided into two groups — Independence A and Independence Open — based off band performance throughout the entire season. The Cinnaminson Marching Band was placed in the Independence Open division with a score that was higher than every band in the Independence A group — a huge accomplishment for such a small marching band. The last time the Cinnaminson Marching Band scored higher than a 90 at a championship was 2006, according to Band Director Deb Knisely.
“It’s nice to say that you win and that you place and all, but the thing that you really are competing on is your score,” Marching Band Booster President Lori Raleigh said. “To break 90 is something that only a few bands do in a season. That is a big deal to score that high.”
Band scores are based off various factors such as percussion, music and color guard. Marching band competitions are different than other competitions in that the judges are walking among the band while they’re playing, which can be distracting and disconcerting, Raleigh said.
“As they’re playing, they’re hearing what the judges are saying about them. They have to keep doing what they’re doing and not let that bother them,” Raleigh said. “They have to do their drill without walking into them, without listening to them. It’s not just going out there and performing, it’s all those things that they have to deal with.”
Raleigh says many people don’t know the work that goes into being a part of a marching band. Members of the band have to be physically fit and undergo the same sports physicals of all other school sports because of the rigorous activity that being in the band entails.
Raleigh also says while she doesn’t know if the band and other music groups will ever get as much attention as bigger sports such as football, she has noticed it getting some extra attention this year.
Before the championship, parents and friends of band members made posters to hold up as the band members were boarding the tour bus to leave for Hershey. A few cheerleaders showed up as well, and some of their friends brought blow horns, which made for an exciting sendoff.
“I thought it was really nice that all of them did that,” Cinnaminson Marching Band senior Dara Napier said. “None of us knew about it so it was just like a giant surprise.”
Napier has been involved with the band for six years and describes the band as a family experience.
“We spend so much time together and we get to know each other so well that we just form strong bonds with each other,” Napier said.
Napier added she was very happy with placing fourth out of 19 bands at the championships and that she was very proud of her fellow band members.
Community members can support the marching band by coming to watch the band perform and publicly showing their support for the band. Raleigh says something as small as a kind Facebook comment can go a long way with making the band feel appreciated.
“[Knisely] wants the kids to feel that they’re appreciated in the community, which is really what they’re starting to get,” Raleigh said.
Raleigh spoke very highly of Knisely, saying she is the teacher you want your kids to have.
“She can pull the most wonderful things out of your child. She is the teacher that you want in your child’s corner,” Raleigh said.
