Walled Lake Band Earns Highest State Title Score Since 2007

The Walled Lake Central High School Marching Band didn't just win the Michigan Competing Band Association (MCBA) State Championship on Nov. 2 at Ford Field in Detroit.

The band's score of 91.55 is a school record and the highest score for any school since the 2007 MCBA competition. The Marching Vikings also cleaned house, winning all sub captions (Music, Visual and General Effect) for the first time in school history.

This is the third time in the last four years that the band has taken the state title.
 
This season’s show, “Conquest”, had a conquistador theme, featuring the music of H. Owen Reed's La Fiesta Mexicana Mvt. 2, "Mass", Alberto Ginestera's Estancia Suite and Arturo Marquez' Danzon 2.
 
This season, the students chose a purpose statement of "Best Always" meaning at everything associated with the band performances and practices they would do their best.  They specifically focused on giving their best effort in the areas of "Integrity, Kinship, Autonomy, No Regrets, Leadership and Passion."  
 
“I am immensely proud of and happy for our students and staff, and what we were able to accomplish at the state championships," band director Dave Rogers said. "The competition this year was the deepest it has ever been. We could not have been as successful without the wonderful support of the parent boosters, our outstanding middle school band teachers, and our building principals lead by Chuck Morgan as well as Walled Lake Schools for supporting the arts so well.”
 
“The Walled Lake Central High School Marching Band is a testament to what happens when a group of students, staff and parents commit to excellence, work hard and make marching band a lifelong learning experience," district superintendent Kenneth Gutman said.

Source: Walled Lake Consolidated Schools press release